Stats

Lifespan: About 1 yr
Size: Small
Diet: Insectivore
Activity: Diurnal
Social: Solitary
Biome: Temperate forest
Range: The Americas
Movement: Climbing
Breeding: Egg-laying
Defense: Camouflage
Status: Uncommon

About

The arrowhead orbweaver is a small orb-weaving spider named for the sharp, triangular white or yellow patch on its abdomen that resembles an arrowhead pointing forward. Unlike most orbweavers it often rests head-down at the center of its web during the day rather than hiding, relying on its shape to blend in among leaves.

Life cycle

1.
egg sac
A silk-wrapped egg sac shelters a clutch of eggs until the young are ready to emerge.
2.
juvenile
A spiderling emerges from the egg sac already in miniature adult form and starts catching prey almost immediately.
3.
subadult
A near-adult arachnid molts through several instars, growing larger and developing mature markings.
4.
adult
Fully grown after its final molt.

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Taxonomy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Verrucosa
Species: Verrucosa arenata