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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Micrathena » Spined Micrathena (Micrathena gracilis)
Photo#408059
Debris Spiderling - Micrathena gracilis - male
Copyright © 2010 Ashley Bradford

Debris Spiderling - Micrathena gracilis - Male
Alexandria, Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
June 7, 2010
Size: ~3mm
At first I thought this was a piece of debris - its camouflage works well! But then I saw it moving and grabbed my camera. He was building a web from the silver/plasticware I had in my drying rack to the edges of the wire rack. He reminds me of a micrathena, but I've never seen one like this. What is he?

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Debris Spiderling - Micrathena gracilis - male Debris Spiderling - Micrathena gracilis - male Debris Spiderling - Micrathena gracilis - male
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Contributed by Ashley Bradford on 9 June, 2010 - 12:33pm
Last updated 10 June, 2010 - 1:22pm

Moved
Moved from Spiders.
… Lynette Elliott, 10 June, 2010 - 1:22pm login or register to post comments

 
Thanks, Lynette!
=)
… Ashley Bradford, 10 June, 2010 - 1:56pm login or register to post comments

We think you have found a male
Micrathena gracilis. Wonderful Images!
Did you get a dorsal shot?
… john and jane balaban, 9 June, 2010 - 6:58pm login or register to post comments

 
Aha!
Thank you. That makes sense - those are certainly in my yard. I've seen a couple females out there. No dorsal shot yet, but if he continues to be encamped on my drying rack, I'll keep trying. =)
… Ashley Bradford, 10 June, 2010 - 9:53am login or register to post comments

Not spiderling.
This looks nearly mature to me, if not mature. I think you are on the right track, too, for genus.
… Eric R. Eaton, 9 June, 2010 - 6:39pm login or register to post comments

 
I was told
that when the palps are swollen but there is no detail to them, it's a "subadult" male. I figured that meant not mature?

Thanks, Eric! =)
… Ashley Bradford, 10 June, 2010 - 9:51am login or register to post comments

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