Twin Cucumber-spider - Araniella opisthographa
Favourite Photos
| image | species | author | location | uploaded | taken | select |
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Twin Cucumber-spider - Araniella opisthographa | dylan | Clifton Downs | 14 Sep 2021, 2:32 p.m. | 28 Jun 2021, 5:20 p.m. | |
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Twin Cucumber-spider - Araniella opisthographa | dylan | Clifton Downs | 14 Sep 2021, 2:32 p.m. | 28 Jun 2021, 5:21 p.m. |
Species Description
Widespread and fairly common throughout the UK. Habitat includes: Areas with trees and shrubs e.g. gardens, parks, allotments, churchyards, scrub, copses, hedgerows, woodland, roadside verges etc. Other names include: Double Green. Green Orb Spider. Length: Male = 5 mm, Female = 8 mm. ID: Araniella cucurbitina and Opisthographa are almost identical. If they cannot be identified to species level they are placed as an aggregate - Araniella cucurbitina sensu lato. To be even more confusing the two species can hybridise. Seen: May to August (sometimes September), peaks Late May to June
A. cucurbitina has Conspicuous red spot above spinnerets, visible only from below. Male femur 1 with ventral median part lacking bristles (regularly 3 bristles basally, 1 bristle distally). Females difficult to identify as this species with certainty.
Araniella opisthographa - Male femur 1 with with 7, rarely 8 bristles distributed on whole length. Females difficult to identify as this species with certainty. Hybrids with Araniella cucurbitina may occur.
Araniella cucurbitina: 1 - 4 pairs of black dots on abdomen sides (excluding the middle ‘dots’), males 3 - 4 spines on the underside of femur 1.
Araniella opisthographa: 5 pairs of black dots on abdomen sides (excluding the middle ‘dots’), males 7 - 8 spines on the underside of femur 1.