Murder Mystery

[ToyotaGuy88]

Hello,

I was looking for some help on identifying a spider that I have had on my porch for over a month now. His name is Frank and was murdered some time last night. I walked out on my porch this morning to find him lifeless in the middle of his web. He has a couple of spots on his abdomen where his innards are coming out. There also happens to be another small spider feeding on him but I find it hard to believe this small spider killed him? Anyways, I will post some photos of Frank. Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW. If it just so happens y’all think this smaller spider killed Frank he will surely be disposed of.

 

[NYAN]

View attachment 288593 View attachment 288592 Hello,

I was looking for some help on identifying a spider that I have had on my porch for over a month now. His name is Frank and was murdered some time last night. I walked out on my porch this morning to find him lifeless in the middle of his web. He has a couple of spots on his abdomen where his innards are coming out. There also happens to be another small spider feeding on him but I find it hard to believe this small spider killed him? Anyways, I will post some photos of Frank. Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW. If it just so happens y’all think this smaller spider killed Frank he will surely be disposed of.

Frank may have been a neoscona species, but I can see thedorsal pattern entirely. Frank is also a female. I suppose it’s possible that the other spider killed her, but it could also be pesticides or old age. We may never know. It would be appreciated if you didn’t go taking revenge for your spider friend’s death.

 

[ToyotaGuy88]

Awesome, thanks for the info. I believe you are spot on. So Frank was actually Fran. I will leave the other spider be. Any idea from the photos as to what the other spider is? It has an odd shaped abdomen. Thank you again for the reply.

 

[Ungoliant]

I was looking for some help on identifying a spider that I have had on my porch for over a month now. His name is Frank and was murdered some time last night. I walked out on my porch this morning to find him lifeless in the middle of his web. He has a couple of spots on his abdomen where his innards are coming out. There also happens to be another small spider feeding on him but I find it hard to believe this small spider killed him? Anyways, I will post some photos of Frank. Any help would be greatly appreciated. BTW. If it just so happens y’all think this smaller spider killed Frank he will surely be disposed of.

The big spider looks like a spotted orbweaver (Neoscona), perhaps Neoscona arabesca.

The little spider is a dewdrop spider (Argyrodes). These spiders are primarily kleptoparasites: they steal small prey items or scavenge leftovers from the web. They are commonly found in the webs of orbweavers and are generally harmless.

The dewdrop spider is not the murderer, just an opportunist. It was likely already present in the web when the spider was attacked and is now just taking advantage of the situation.

The Neoscona was probably stung by a wasp; wasps are major predators of spiders. (They sting the spider, carry it off, and seal it in with their larvae, which feed on the paralyzed spider.) Perhaps the wasp was chased off, or the spider was too large to carry away.