Subject: What kind of spider is this?
Location: West Tennessee
November 6, 2013 12:50 pm
My husband found this spider in the woods today 11-6-13 near our home in West Tn. Was wondering what kind of spider it was. It has very interesting colors and markings withy the bright orange body and black and white stripe legs.
Signature: A. Martin
Hi A. Martin,
Your spider is a harmless Marbled Orbweaver, Araneus marmoreus, a highly variable species that is commonly called a Pumpkin Spider when it is orange. Coincidentally the spiders mature near Halloween and that is the time they are most visible. See BugGuide for additional information.
I’m in South Central Pennsylvania and saw a pumpkin spider like this just a short time ago – when I opened my back door, it fell to the ground and sort of staggered around on the patio – didn’t know if that orange thing was an egg sack or its body. I got a piece of cardboard and scooped it up and put it in the garden. It’s in the 40’s and 50’s these days around here. Never saw one like this before! And yes, it’s near Halloween!
They really are beautiful spiders, but quite clumsy when not in the web.
11-09-14 Found one in my back yard today. It was beautiful. I picked him up and put him to the side so he wouldn’t get squished.
11-09-14 Found one in my back yard today. It was beautiful. I picked him up and put him to the side so he wouldn’t get squished. Yorkville, Georgia
I see a orange spider today at 10:35a.m. Oct.10-13 I ask my husband that spider looks like a pumpkin he said yes it looks like a pumpkin