Orchard Spider

Scientific Name: Leucauge venusta

Order & Family: Araneae, Tetragnathidae

Size: 3 to 8 mm for females; males are significantly smaller

Woodlands, gardens, and shrubbery across North and Central America

Strictly carnivorous; feeds on small insects like flies, gnats, and leafhoppers caught in their webs

Builds horizontal or slightly tilted orb webs; typically hangs upside down in the center of the web

Benefits the ecosystem by controlling pest populations; they are harmless to humans and rarely bite

Identified on: 4/9/2026