Long-jawed Orb Weaver

Long-jawed orb weavers, genus Tetragnatha, are a widespread group within the family Tetragnathidae, instantly recognizable once you notice their elongated bodies and disproportionately large, forward-projecting chelicerae. The exaggerated jaws are especially prominent in males, which use them during courtship and mating to lock the female's fangs safely out of the way.

These spiders are strongly associated with wetland edges, and it is common to find dozens of individuals strung along the grasses and reeds bordering a pond or slow stream. Their thin, cylindrical abdomens and long legs give them a twig-like appearance, an effective camouflage that helps them blend into the linear vegetation where they rest.

Many species build a relatively open, coarse-meshed orb web angled low over water or dense grass, often oriented horizontally rather than vertically, which helps intercept insects emerging from or flying low over the water's surface.

• Long, narrow, cylindrical abdomen, often silvery or greenish
• Very long legs held stretched fore and aft along a stem when at rest, aiding camouflage
• Enlarged, forward-pointing chelicerae, more pronounced in males, sometimes bearing small tooth-like projections
• Web is a coarse, often horizontally-angled orb with a wider mesh than typical garden orb weavers
• Frequently found resting along the midrib of a leaf or a grass blade rather than in the web itself
• Lookalikes include other elongated orb weavers, but the combination of oversized jaws and stretched resting posture near water is distinctive

Long-jawed orb weavers are found nearly worldwide near freshwater, including pond margins, stream banks, marshes, and irrigation ditches, as well as in tall grass and shrubs adjacent to these habitats. They are most conspicuous from summer into early autumn and are frequently encountered by anglers and hikers moving through waterside vegetation.

These spiders build orb webs to capture small flying insects, particularly midges, mosquitoes, mayflies, and other insects that emerge from or travel over water. Many species are most active at dusk and through the night, rebuilding or repairing their webs regularly. During the day they often stretch out along a blade of grass or leaf edge with legs extended fore and aft, relying on their slim shape to avoid detection by predators. Their concentration near water makes them significant predators of aquatic-emergent insects, helping regulate midge and mosquito numbers in wetland ecosystems.

Females produce silk egg sacs attached to vegetation near the water's edge, and spiderlings emerge to begin building small webs of their own close to where they hatched. Growth proceeds through a series of molts over the warm months, with many temperate species completing one generation per year and overwintering as eggs or partially grown juveniles. In warmer regions, multiple generations can occur annually.