About Neoscona arabesca (Walckenaer, 1841)
Neoscona arabesca, commonly known as the arabesque orbweaver, is a common orb-weaver spider found across North America. It gets its common name from the cryptic, brightly colored, swirling markings located on its prominent abdomen. This spider can be found in fields, forests, gardens, and on human structures. Neoscona species, the group this spider belongs to, are among the most common and abundant orb weavers, and they live on all continents. Adult females of Neoscona arabesca range from 5 to 7 mm (0.20 to 0.28 in) in body size, while adult males range from 5 to 6 mm (0.20 to 0.24 in).
Females of this species build vertical orb webs that measure 15 to 45 cm (5.9 to 17.7 in) in diameter and have 18 to 20 radii. The central hub of the web is open, with only one or two threads crossing it. At night, females rest at the center of their orb web, pushing the tip of their abdomen through the open hub space. During the day, females hide away from the web in a shelter, most often inside a leaf that has been curled and tied with silk. Males of Neoscona arabesca are commonly found in nearby foliage, or hunting on the ground.
Like all other orb-weaver spiders, arabesque orb-weavers are non-aggressive. Bites to humans or pets only occur in rare cases when the spider feels threatened. A bite from an arabesque orb-weaver is not medically significant, and any pain from the bite is mostly short-lived, comparable to the pain of a bee sting.
