Web-decoration
Guides
Allocyclosa
trashline orb weaver
Allocyclosa is a monotypic genus of orb-weaver spiders in the family Araneidae, containing only Allocyclosa bifurca. Originally described as Cyrtophora bifurca in 1887, it was transferred to its own genus in 1999 based on distinctive morphological features. The genus is notable for being the only Cyclosa-like species north of Mexico with a forked abdominal tip, and for its unusual reproductive biology where males are exceptionally rare.
Argiope florida
Florida argiope, Florida garden spider
Argiope florida is a species of orb-weaving spider in the family Araneidae, restricted to the southeastern United States. Like other Argiope species, it constructs spiral orb webs with a conspicuous silk decoration called a stabilimentum. Research on this species has focused on the function of these web decorations and their influence on spider behavior, including fleeing responses and anti-predator strategies.
Argiope trifasciata
banded garden spider, banded orb weaving spider, banded argiope, whitebacked garden spider
A large orb-weaving spider with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, native to the Americas but now found across six continents. Females construct distinctive spiral orb webs up to 60 cm in diameter, often decorated with zigzag stabilimentum patterns. The species exhibits notable thermoregulatory behavior through strategic web orientation and body positioning. Recent phylogeographic research suggests A. trifasciata may represent a complex of cryptic species rather than a single widespread species.
Cyclosa
Trashline Orbweavers
Cyclosa is a genus of orb-weaver spiders commonly known as trashline orbweavers, first described by Anton Menge in 1866. These spiders are distinguished by their unique web decorations consisting of linear arrangements of prey remains, debris, and sometimes egg sacs arranged vertically through the web center. The name derives from Greek 'to move in a circle,' referencing their spiral web construction. Most species face downward in their webs, though some face upward. The genus contains approximately 178 species distributed worldwide.
Cyclosa walckenaeri
Walckenaer's Trashline Orbweaver
Cyclosa walckenaeri is a species of trashline orb-weaver spider in the family Araneidae, found from the United States through the Caribbean to Guyana. Like other members of the genus Cyclosa, it constructs small vertical orb webs decorated with a vertical line of debris through the center, which serves as camouflage. The spider sits at the hub of this "trashline," effectively hiding among the accumulated material. This species is part of a group of spiders known for recycling web debris and prey remains into architectural elements that disguise their presence from visual predators.
Mangora
Tuftlegged Orbweaver, Stabilimentum Orb-weaver
Mangora is a genus of small orb-weaving spiders in the family Araneidae, commonly known as tuftlegged orbweavers. These spiders are distinguished by their compact bodies, often with prominent abdominal projections or tubercles, and their distinctive vertical orb webs that frequently feature white silk decorations called stabilimenta. The genus occurs across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia, with species inhabiting diverse habitats from woodlands to grasslands. Mangora spiders are active primarily in late spring and summer, with some species producing multiple generations per year.