Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada

Species Araneus bicentenarius - Giant Lichen Orbweaver

Green Garden Spider - Araneus bicentenarius - female WNC unknown orb weaver - Araneus bicentenarius Lichen Orb Weaver? - Araneus bicentenarius Giant Lichen Orbweaver - Araneus bicentenarius Green & Brown Bug - Araneus bicentenarius Spider - Araneus bicentenarius Spider - Araneus bicentenarius Lichen Orb Weaver - Araneus bicentenarius - female
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)
No Taxon (Entelegynae)
Family Araneidae (Orb Weavers)
Genus Araneus
Species bicentenarius (Giant Lichen Orbweaver)
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
Explanation of Names
Araneus bicentenarius (McCook)
Type specimen collected by McCook during Philadelphia's bicentennial in 1882 (1). (City founded by William Penn in 1682.)
Size
13-28 mm (female), 7 mm (male) (1)
Identification
Female (dorsal/ventral)

Male coloration as in female, but with a longitudinal white mark anterior on dorsum; second tibia unusually large. (2)
Range
This species is widespread: Texas to Florida and north to Minnesota and Nova Scotia. One male reported from New Mexico. (2)
Habitat
Woodlands, on trees, among lichens. (2)
Season
Apr-Sept (BG data)
See Also
Eustala can be similar in pattern but is smaller.
Print References
Howell and Jenkins (2004), pp. 139-140 (1)
Levi, H.W. 1971. The diadematus group of the orb-weaver genus Araneus north of Mexico (Araneae: Araneidae). Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology, 141(4):131-179 (Biodiversity Heritage Library).
Works Cited
1.Spiders of the Eastern US, A Photographic Guide
W. Mike Howell and Ronald L. Jenkins. 2004. pearson education.
2.The diadematus group of the orb-weaver genus Araneus north of Mexico
H. W. Levi. 1971. Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool. 141(4): 131-179.