typical cobweb spiders

(Theridion spp.)

Overview
typical cobweb spider (Theridion sp.)
Photo by Babette Kis
 

Theridion is a large genus of cobweb spiders. There are about 580 currently recognized species worldwide according to the World Spider Catalog, but new species are still being defined. There are 65 species in North America north of Mexico, and at least 8 species in Minnesota. They occur worldwide on every continent except Antarctica and have been recorded in every state in the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii.

Theridion spiders build cobwebs, also called tangle webs, usually on plants, where they are found on the underside of leaves, on tall grasses, or on shrubs and trees. They sometimes build webs in protected areas on buildings. During the day they hide near the web. At night they hang upside down on the underside of the web.

 
           
 
Description
 
 

Theridion are small to medium-sized, 132 to 3 16 (1 to 5 mm) long, cobweb spiders. Most are light colored and live on plants, some are dark-colored and live in the crevices of rocks and logs. The upper plate on the front part of the body (carapace) is usually slightly longer than wide and does not have a distinct depression in the middle. The rear row of four eyes is straight when viewed from above. The front (anterior) middle (median) eyes (AME) are a little larger or a little smaller than the others. On females, the jaw-like mouthparts (chelicerae) have one or two teeth on the front (anterior) margin and no teeth on the rear (posterior) margin. The legs are long. The abdomen is oval to nearly spherical, usually longer than high, and sometimes wider than long.

 
     
 
Distribution
 
 

Distribution Map

 

Sources

24, 29, 30, 82.

 
  1/2/2023      
         
 
Taxonomy
 
  Class Arachnida (arachnids)  
 

Order

Araneae (spiders)  
 

Suborder

Araneomorphae (typical spiders)  
  Infraorder Entelegynae (entelegyne spiders)  
  Superfamily Araneoidea (araneoid spiders)  
 

Family

Theridiidae (cobweb spiders)  
       
 

Subordinate Taxa

 
 

cobweb spider (Theridion dividuum)

common house combfoot (Theridion melanurum)

different cobweb weaver (Theridion differens)

eastern long-legged cobweaver (Theridion frondeum)

fence long-legged cobweaver (Theridion murarium)

Hawaiian happyface spider (Theridion grallator)

holarctic long-legged cobweaver (Theridion hemerobium)

hooked long-legged cobweaver (Theridion petraeum)

large-spined long-legged cobweaver (Theridion glaucescens)

painted cobweb weaver (Theridion pictum)

Purcell’s theridion comb-feet spider (Theridion purcelli)

pyramidal theridion (Theridion pyramidale)

white long-legged cobweaver (Theridion albidum)

 
       
 

Synonyms

 
 

 

 
       
 

Common Names

 
 

typical cobweb spiders

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Glossary

Carapace

The hard, upper (dorsal), shell-like covering (exoskeleton) of the body or at least the thorax of many arthropods and of turtles and tortoises. On crustaceans, it covers the cephalothorax. On spiders, the top of the cephalothorax made from a series of fused sclerites.

 

Chelicerae

The pair of stout mouthparts, corresponding to jaws, in arachnids and other arthropods in the subphylum Chelicerata.

 

 

 
 
Visitor Photos
 
           
 

Share your photo of this arachnid.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach one or more photos and, if you like, a caption.
 
 

Babette Kis

 
 

Theridion spp. (typical cobweb spiders)

Theridion sp. (typical cobweb spider), Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., Wisconsin. Photo was taken on June 30, 2022. This spider was on the underside of a Solomon's seal leaf at the hedgerow adjacent to the prairie.

  typical cobweb spider (Theridion sp.)  
 

Alfredo Colon

 
    typical cobweb spider (Theridion sp.)   typical cobweb spider (Theridion sp.)  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Photos
 
 

 

 
           

 

Camera

     
 
Slideshows
 
 
     
     

 

slideshow

       
 
Visitor Videos
 
       
 

Share your video of this arachnid.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Attach a video, a YouTube link, or a cloud storage link.
 
 

 

 
     
     
       
       
 
Other Videos
 
  Spider - Theridion #spider #theridion #örümcek
Arslan
 
   
 
About

May 22, 2020

If you have more detailed information about this spider's type and features, please write a comment.

 

 

Camcorder

 
 
Visitor Sightings
 
           
 

Report a sighting of this arachnid.

 
  This button not working for you?
Simply email us at info@MinnesotaSeasons.com.
Be sure to include a location.
 
  Babette Kis
6/30/2022

Location: Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., WI

Theridion sp. (typical cobweb spider), Barnes Prairie, Racine Co., Wisconsin. Photo was taken on June 30, 2022. This spider was on the underside of a Solomon's seal leaf at the hedgerow adjacent to the prairie.

typical cobweb spider (Theridion sp.)  
  Alfredo Colon
7/3/2021

Location: Woodbury, MN

typical cobweb spider (Theridion sp.)  
  Alfredo Colon
5/30/2021

Location: Woodbury, MN

typical cobweb spider (Theridion sp.)  
           
 
MinnesotaSeasons.com Sightings
 
 

 

 

 

 

Binoculars


Created: 1/2/2023

Last Updated:

About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact Us | © MinnesotaSeasons.com. All rights reserved.