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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Araneus » Cross Spider (Araneus diadematus)

Species Araneus diadematus - Cross Spider

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References

European Garden Spider in my backyard - Araneus diadematus - female

Araneus diadematus Female - Confirmation? - Araneus diadematus - female

Found in center of large web in suburban garden in eastern Massachusetts i tend. It was midday. - Araneus diadematus

Female Cross Orbweaver - Araneus diadematus - female

Cross Orbweaver mayhaps? - Araneus diadematus

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 diadematus (Cross Spider)

Other Common Names

Cross Spider, Cross Orbweaver, European Garden Spider

Synonyms and other taxonomic changes

See the World Spider Catalog.

Size

Body length adult female: 6-20mm.

Body length adult male: 6-13mm.

Identification

The dorsal, white cross on the abdomen can typically be diagnostic:

There is also an atypical variation that does not have the cross. This might be confused with A. gemma. See atypical diadematus here:

Ventral Pattern

Female epigynum/scape:

Web

Range

This non-native species is slowly spreading outward from the Pacific Northwest (to California and Utah per BG data) and from the northeast westward (Wisconsin and Arkansas per BG data). It is also known from eastern Minnesota at this time (10 Jan 2023-ChH)

Habitat

Common in gardens, though it is more a species of scrubby heathland or amongst gorse.

Life Cycle

Shriveled Female and egg sac:

Mature couple:

Mature male, immature female:

Males reach sexual maturity before females do, and will often pair off with an immature female in order to claim her.

Juveniles:

Spiderlings

Egg Sac

Remarks

Introduced to North America from Western and Northern Europe.

Print References

Dondale, C. D., J. H. Redner, P. Paquin & H. W. Levi. 2003. The insects and arachnids of Canada. Part 23. The orb-weaving spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Uloboridae, Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Theridiosomatidae). NRC Research Press, Ottawa, 371 pp.

Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 13 April, 2004 - 12:39pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Lynette Elliott, Christopher Hunt, Jeff Hollenbeck, cheins, Chuck Entz, kschnei, Mandy Howe
Last updated 10 January, 2023 - 6:46am

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