Sunday, March 30, 2014

Candystripe Spider

Our most familiar cobweb weavers, like the Common House Spider and black widow, seem most abundant in or around buildings, so it might come as a surprise to learn that many, if not most, members of the family Theridiidae live outdoors in the strictest sense. One of the larger “wild” cobweb spiders is the Candystripe Spider, Enoplognatha ovata. It is also known as the “Polymorphic Spider” because it has several color variations.

This species is probably native to Eurasia, introduced to North America long ago. It is now a very common spider in New England, the Great Lakes region, and the Pacific states inland to Montana and Utah. They spin their tangled snares in understory vegetation in woodlands, and among wildflowers and herbs in meadows and fields. The spiders usually hide by day under a curled leaf. Females guard a white or bluish egg sac in late summer.

Individual specimens vary from entirely white, cream, or yellow in color with or without parallel rows of black spots on the abdomen, to having paired red stripes down the back, or even a broad central red stripe. Adult females measure 4.3-7 millimeters in body length. Mature males, 3.5-5.2 millimeters, are distinguished from females by their modified pedipalps and the elongated jaws (chelicerae).

Male

Spiderlings emerge from egg sacs in autumn, and overwinter in leaf litter and other protected niches on the ground. As they grow they are subject to parasitism by larval mites (ironically, mites are also arachnids) of the families Trombidiidae and Erythraeidae (Reillo, 1989).

I vividly recall finding this species commonly during my childhood in Portland, Oregon. Years later I found more during a visit to various forest preserves in suburban Chicago, Illinois. I find it interesting how some species are emblematic of one’s life and interests, be it birds, reptiles, or insects and spiders.

Sources: Reillo, Paul R. 1989. “Mite Parasitism of the Polymorphic Spider, Enoplognatha ovata (Araneae, Theridiidae), from Coastal Maine,” J. Arachnol. 17: 246-249.
Sollfors, Stefan. 2008. “Enoplognatha ovata,” Eurospiders.com.
Anonymous. 2013. “Comb-footed Spider, Enoplognatha ovata,” NatureSpot.

23 comments:

  1. Virtually all spiders are venomous (they use venom to kill their prey), but few are dangerously venomous to the average, healthy human being. This species is *not* a danger. Plus, it lives outdoors where it seldom comes into contact with people.

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  2. My son said it was this spider that bit him while pulling weeds. The spot where he was bit is stinging and swelling. Are you positive it is not poisonous.

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    1. It is not dangerously venomous to the average, healthy human being or pet.

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  3. I live in Ilwaco Washington. I've never in 60 years seen this spider before today. It was in my celery plants. I am allergic to some spiders. I carry an EpiPen. In this case could it be deadly?

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  4. Identified a female candystripe spider and then noticed she is guarding an egg sac on a bundle of grapes from the farmers market in eugene, oregon today. Thank you for your content!

    She is very protective of her young. Will make sure she has safe passage outdoors to my grapevines to keep the cycle going.

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  5. I saw one of theese it was white with a pink stripe down its back. Verry small and fairly fast. It looked like it was after my friend but it was probably just afraid. Bit him but no reaction except redness at the site. So bottom line not dangerous if you are not allergic.

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  6. Thanks. I'm guessing these are the little guys all over our garden here in Tigard OR. Ours are all that pale green color. Never caused me any harm, though I'm sue I annoy the heck out them on my infrequent weed pulling forays.

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    1. HAHA me too, they hate when i harvest my lettuce leaves they protect so vigilantly :)

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  7. I find both yellow green lineated and the white striped ones in my yard in Washington, its funny though since i didn't know it was the same species XD the striped ones i have are white and brown instead of white and red. These guys are tiny but not afraid to defend themselves if you harass them (although they usually prefer to flee). Harmless but so cute!
    Often found in my lettuces eating the pests <3

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  8. Found one here in Maine yesterday out in the woods. I'm 45 and this is the first time I've ever seen or heard of one around here

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  9. Found one today with her egg sack, she was a gorgeous red and white. Super cool find

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  10. I found a white one with the red stripes on my tomato plant this morning in Lynnwood Wa. After reading these posts, I will let it be.

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  11. I found one in my bed she ended up biting my arm. Was just like a bug bite. Swelled and itchy.
    New Brunswick, Canada

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  12. Found one crawling on my stomach in the pool today in Eugene, Oregon. Gave me quite the scare when I saw red on a spider and I flung it into the water and unfortunately killed it. I'll know better next time 😅💁‍♀️

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  13. Found one in Dublin Ireland in my shower. Was a funny experience

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  14. I found one but I have my doubts, it is yellow with a thick band of black on the back, translucent legs and very small. Never seen before. My bug ID suggested candy stripe spider but it also suggested honey bee lmfao

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    1. That's hilarious. LOL! Thanks for sharing. :-)

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  15. I found a sac (and dead mother spider) attached to a kale leaf in my sink. It had been soaking in water for a couple of hours. Are the spiderlings inside their eggs still viable or did the water drown them? Finding the sac with dead mother clinging to it tugged at my heart strings.

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    1. Hard to say, but spiders (arthropods in general) are surprisingly durable. The eggs could easily be just fine; and mother spiders rarely see their offspring.

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  16. I live in New Mexico, USA and have been procrastinating on pulling the weeds for months because of my arachnophobia only to find one of these demons within the first few minutes. Wish I had cought it now though because I'm only 80% sure it was this that I found.

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  17. I found one (candy stripe) in my bathroom! After the initial scream, I decided it would make a great poem prompt. Cute--but still a spider!

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  18. I found webs all over my garden. Do they harm flower gardens?

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  19. Found one in Lake Stevens today. Washington state.

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