| Orchard spider | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Arachnida |
| Order: | Araneae |
| Suborder: | Araneomorphae |
| Family: | Tetragnathidae |
| Genus: | Leucauge |
| Species: | L. venusta |
| Binomial name | |
| Leucauge venusta (Walckenaer, 1842) |
|
The orchard spider (Leucauge venusta) is a long-jawed orbweaver spider that occurs from southern Canada to Panama, along the East coast, reaching into the central US. The web is often oriented horizontally, with the spider hanging down in the center.
It is distinctively colored, with leaf-green legs and sides (which can sometimes vary to a dark green or even orange). The underside of its thorax is spotted with yellow and black, the top is silvery with brown and black streaks. The neon yellow, orange or red spots on the rear of the abdomen are variable in size among individuals and sometimes absent.
This species is parasitised by a wasp larva which attaches itself externally at the junction of the cephalothorax and abdomen.[1]
