Orb weaver, slanted web - Metellina mimetoides

Moved

Moved from Orb Weavers. I think this is likely correct. Curtisi does sometimes have paired humps, but they are small. There is no mention of the mimetoides web in my guide, but it does say that curtisi's web had hub open, and sloped up to 10 degrees from vertical, one web, however, was horizontal. I'd guess that other spiders within the genus may likely have similar webs as well.

… Lynette Elliott, 29 March, 2010 - 7:25pm

humped

And it's humped. Interesting. I wonder if it's mature? It kind of reminds me of Metellina.

… Lynette Elliott, 24 October, 2009 - 10:31pm

What do you think?

What do you think about Metellina mimetoides? It's sort of humped. The venter of G's spider definitely looks like one of the orb weavers. If not M. mimetoides then I would go out on a limb and suggest possibly a Mimetus Pirate Spider, only because they are humped and look very close to this spider...and they are known for invading the webs of orb weavers and eating the other spider. But that ID is probably just dust in the wind, I just threw it in there for some reason.

… Mandy Howe, 25 October, 2009 - 9:30pm

Definitely an orb weaver

Its orb web leaves no doubt that it's an orb weaver. That's half of the reason I haven't posted an eye shot, the other half being that I haven't managed to get one. The spider faces downhill most of the time and flees when the camera is near. Anyway, it's so small that I wouldn't get a good picture even if I could approach it from the front.

Bugguide's Mimetus photos are from Eastern states, making that one unlikely. Metellina mimetoides--just one specimen, from Oregon, so that's possible.

But someone must know what kind of orb weaver makes tilted webs?

… R. Berg, 25 October, 2009 - 10:17pm

Mimetoides in Cali

I found a source from UC Berkeley that lists M. mimetoides as having been collected and recorded in these locations: "San Diego Co. north to Del Norte Co., Tulare Co. north to Siskiyou Co.". That certainly doesn't rule out other areas though. There is another common species, M. curtisi, that inhabits Cali too, but I don't think it's abdomen is humped, not positive on that though.

Orb webs aren't always nice and vertical. There are several orb weavers on my property that have made their webs at nearly a 45 degree angle...anchor points being the side of an outbuilding and the rope that is tethered to the outbuilding (and used to hold up the bean plants). This is a hefty female A. diadematus, too...and it seems to be doing her fine. I'm sure that there is a fair degree of necessity at some point in an orb weaver's journey and they will anchor to whatever is available. But I am FAR from being an expert on the subject, so...

… Mandy Howe, 25 October, 2009 - 11:39pm

The guide page for orb weavers says

"Most orb weaver webs are vertical (perpendicular to the ground), but there are a handful that will spin a horizontal web (parallel to the ground)." No mention of other orientations, so I thought the 45-degree web would be an identifying feature.

… R. Berg, 25 October, 2009 - 11:56pm