The Spiny Orb Weaver is one of the most distinctive spiders in North America, with a crab-like, hard-shelled white abdomen bearing bright red, yellow, or black spots and six sharp, spiny projections around its perimeter. Its function is unknown but may deter birds from damaging the web. It builds large, ornate orb webs with decorative tufts in shrubs and trees of the Southeast.
Habitat
Shrubby forests, gardens, and citrus groves of the Southeast
Diet
Adults: small flying insects caught in orb webs
How common
Common
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