Anyone help identify this chonk?

[ladyratri]

Found this adorably round little spider on the front balcony this morning. Too scrunched in to get a good idea of the legspan, but the body is about 3/4 inch maybe. Any idea what this cutie is? It has a huge, glorious web, and was munching a fly earlier.

 

[arthurliuyz]

Araneidae sp.?

 

[ladyratri]

Araneidae sp.?

Seems like it... Neoscona crucifera maybe? The ventral markings are beautiful. On Long Island NY, which seems to be a native area for that species.

 

[Reluctant Widow Mother]

Looks like the spider I just posted. I guessed Neoscona crucifera, but the range map says they don't live in my area of California. It seems the best match.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Looks like the spider I just posted. I guessed Neoscona crucifera, but the range map says they don't live in my area of California. It seems the best match.

Can you get a dorsal image of your spider? Yours is definitely not the same as this one, the ventral is different

 

[Reluctant Widow Mother]

Can you get a dorsal image of your spider? Yours is definitely not the same as this one, the ventral is different

I agree. Unfortunately, she didn't present a dorsal view. I did notice she has a spike on her dorsal surface, seen in profile. Unfortunately, I have severe back pain which limits my ability to function. I really wanted more photos, but simply couldn't wait for the spider to present a dorsal view. I needed to finish my walk for exercise. Despite the pain, it has helped keep me somewhat fit.

I suppose it's possible she could build the web in the same spot, but I'd need someone with me to make sure I made it back to my car. If I could get someone to drive me, I could take on more painkillers...might consider that as there is a really pretty L. hesperus under a picnic table. She could bite someone or end up squished the next time someone takes the trail and notices the huge, sprawling web. She has the fattest hourglass, I've ever seen...almost brown-widowish, but as far as I know there are no brown widows in this area. (My avatar spider—a good-sized black widow) was found in this area Yet. She's still got some brown striping on her legs, but as she turns darker, I expect the hourglass to stay bright and well-defined like other widows in this particular area. Capturing her would require launching a "rescue mission" of sorts...couldn't do that last night.

 

[The Snark]

Found this adorably round little spider on the front balcony this morning.

Possibly A cavaticus.

Looks like the spider I just posted. I guessed Neoscona crucifera, but the range map says they don't live in my area of California.

Crucifera and Cavaticus https://bugguide.net/node/view/69874

I've ever seen...almost brown-widowish, but as far as I know there are no brown widows in this area.

L Geometricus are extreme cosmopolitan and have invaded all major countries of the world. The established range includes central America up into Canada. Had dozens of sightings here in northern Thailand for a year then vanished. Probably couldn't compete with the local spiders and cope with our vast range of predators.

I've seen N Crucifera up in Lake Tahoe area, on the Coast around Eureka and over to Lassen. They are often transient and ballooning dispersal can take them hundreds of miles. If they establish themselves in a location is another matter. Modesto area -> prevailing westerly winds.
Crucifera

Picture and location says L Hesperus, immature. They don't acquire normal markings until the final molt.

 

[Reluctant Widow Mother]

Possibly A cavaticus.

Crucifera and Cavaticus https://bugguide.net/node/view/69874


L Geometricus are extreme cosmopolitan and have invaded all major countries of the world. The established range includes central America up into Canada. Had dozens of sightings here in northern Thailand for a year then vanished. Probably couldn't compete with the local spiders and cope with our vast range of predators.

I've seen N Crucifera up in Lake Tahoe area, on the Coast around Eureka and over to Lassen. They are often transient and ballooning dispersal can take them hundreds of miles. If they establish themselves in a location is another matter. Modesto area -> prevailing westerly winds.
Crucifera

Picture and location says L Hesperus, immature. They don't acquire normal markings until the final molt.

Like you, I was also thinking she possibly needed one more molt, but the black widows in that canyon usually have brighter, larger hourglasses (even fully grown) than specimens I've found as close as five miles away. Maybe it's just coincidence. I don't know. I've looked at a lot of spiders in that canyon and a lot of spiders elsewhere and I think there might actually be a difference. Not sure.

I've never seen the spiky egg sac of a brown widow anywhere, nor have I found a true brown widow. Every specimen I've seen in the wild or collected too close to houses has been an actual, factual L. hesperus. Are you glad brown widows vanished? What "medically significant" spiders do you have in your area?

N. crucifera doesn't seem to have the little "spike" on the dorsal part of the abdomen that my orbweaver does.

 

[The Snark]

Like you, I was also thinking she possibly needed one more molt, but the black widows in that canyon usually have brighter, larger hourglasses (even fully grown) than specimens I've found as close as five miles away. Maybe it's just coincidence. I don't know.

Relatively few Hesperus survive to full maturity. Predation and natural hazards take a tremendous toll on their populations. So it's likely you have been seeing pre penultimates.

Are you glad brown widows vanished? What "medically significant" spiders do you have in your area?

We had no hazardous spiders here until globalism got into things. Freak out of a spider was mostly unheard of. The giant huntsmen are often considered toys by the rural children. And everyone knows better than to stick their fingers down a (very reclusive) Minax hole.

Yes, I'm glad they vanished. I mentioned relocating a mature mom with egg sacks to our yard and someone here on AB read me the riot act. But if a few were found there had to be many more so I simply observed. That was around 2017. I haven't seen any since 2020.

Unfortunate. A man down in Denchai was bit by a spider and knowing they are harmless ignored it. An infection went systemic and he died. The spider was captured and identified as a L Reclusa. Why it turned up miles from major trade routes and shipping ports remains a mystery.
We now have occasional sightings of Latrodectus including Hasselti and Recluse usually near the shipping ports. All seem to be transients so far.

 

[Reluctant Widow Mother]

Relatively few Hesperus survive to full maturity. Predation and natural hazards take a tremendous toll on their populations. So it's likely you have been seeing pre penultimates.]

Actually, I keep tabs on individual spiders. Adult females stay in the same web until they die. I note when they die and when a younger spider takes over their territory. I watched one adult named Shelob for over two years until she succumbed. A younger female snipped down her web and moved in and died after barely a year. The orbweaver was in the spot where the two "Shelobs" lived. No new widow in that location, yet. There was a very large adult female "next door" to Shelob named "Ungoliant." I watched her until she, too, died. A young spider is now in the place where Ungoliant used to live.

Here is a pic of Ungoliant. She was a very large L. hesperus with a very bright hourglass.

We had no hazardous spiders here until globalism got into things. Freak out of a spider was mostly unheard of. The giant huntsmen are often considered toys by the rural children. And everyone knows better than to stick their fingers down a (very reclusive) Minax hole.


Yes, I'm glad they vanished. I mentioned relocating a mature mom with egg sacks to our yard and someone here on AB read me the riot act. But if a few were found there had to be many more so I simply observed. That was around 2017. I haven't seen any since 2020.

Yup, that's the spiky egg sac, all right. I've only ever seen pics. I really hope they don't survive here, but there's a chance they'll be able to withstand temps at lower elevations.

Unfortunate. A man down in Denchai was bit by a spider and knowing they are harmless ignored it. An infection went systemic and he died. The spider was captured and identified as a L Reclusa. Why it turned up miles from major trade routes and shipping ports remains a mystery.
We now have occasional sightings of Latrodectus including Hasselti and Recluse usually near the shipping ports. All seem to be transients so far.

The state that has the biggest problem with invasive species is Florida, which has tropical and subtropical climates. I don't think I'd touch any species I couldn't positively identify were I to take a trip there. Perhaps the same is true for Thailand?

California is seeing an influx of brown widows in the south. A few have been spotted in more northern locales, but I think they are outliers for now. Fire ants, on the other hand, have arrived in our area. I didn't know that until someone I know said he was stung. Growing up, I knew we didn't have fire ants, but in 2016, they arrived at lower elevations in our county. I am wondering how far up into the mountains they will reach...not looking forward to that particular biological land mine. Ugh.

 

[The Snark]

Yup, that's the spiky egg sac, all right. I've only ever seen pics. I really hope they don't survive here, but there's a chance they'll be able to withstand temps at lower elevations.

But in 2016, they arrived at lower elevations in our county. I am wondering how far up into the mountains they will reach...not looking forward to that particular biological land mine.

The state that has the biggest problem with invasive species is Florida, which has tropical and subtropical climates. I don't think I'd touch any species I couldn't positively identify were I to take a trip there. Perhaps the same is true for Thailand?

Introspection time.
I wish I had recorded my conversation with my entomologist buddy and his wife. They are both doctorate researchers specializing in mosquitoes. I think the majority of described species involved or is attributed to them. They expounded and expanded on Darwin's theories for several hours. If I had recorded or paid more attention I could understand and discuss a little better why one species survives and one dies out. Why one will acclimatize and another won't.
We now have Anopheles and Aedes being found up to 12,000 feet in the Himalayas. Geometricus produces exponentially more offspring that any other Latrodectus. The egg sack pictured was one of 14 she had produced in not more than 3 weeks or so.
Ecology wise, humans are the screw ups and we should be able to explain and predict these phenomenons. But we are mostly cement heads, especially Americans, 98% + of which can't even explain the function of their own kidneys.

 

[Reluctant Widow Mother]

Introspection time.
I wish I had recorded my conversation with my entomologist buddy and his wife. They are both doctorate researchers specializing in mosquitoes. I think the majority of described species involved or is attributed to them. They expounded and expanded on Darwin's theories for several hours. If I had recorded or paid more attention I could understand and discuss a little better why one species survives and one dies out. Why one will acclimatize and another won't.
We now have Anopheles and Aedes being found up to 12,000 feet in the Himalayas. Geometricus produces exponentially more offspring that any other Latrodectus. The egg sack pictured was one of 14 she had produced in not more than 3 weeks or so.
Ecology wise, humans are the screw ups and we should be able to explain and predict these phenomenons. But we are mostly cement heads, especially Americans, 98% + of which can't even explain the function of their own kidneys.

Right now, I'm not exactly proud of my nation. I could try to explain why things are the way they are and how I try to deal with it, but it's complicated and depressing. I hope you'll forgive me for not saying more, but I feel deep despair because I feel completely inadequate, having tried and failed to address our problems.

 

[The Snark]

I hope you'll forgive me for not saying more, but I feel deep despair because I feel completely inadequate, having tried and failed to address our problems

No stress, no problems. I prefer to focus, even have tunnel vision, on animals and my various studies. Just keep telling myself 'there are wiser more capable people out there just as or even more concerned about homo semi-sapien sawing the limb off it is sitting on'.
(With my hyper 'monkeys brain' the diversion and ignore tactics are problems in themselves. turbines, machine shop, chemistry, micro-B, Blender, php, advanced electronics, anything to distract me from the destroyed watershed on my bike rides and the billions of tons of trash that need to be cleaned up and and and and ..) I need to complain to Microsoft too in a way that gets their attention. A poison fire arrow with a note attached through Bill Gates picture window?