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Cucumber spider

Araniella cucurbitina

Description:

Light brown 10-legged spider with citron-colored abdomen.

Habitat:

Mostly in forest clearings

Notes:

I found this spider behind our house where we have garden.

2 species ID suggestions

Jeannette
Jeannette 11 months ago
Cucumber spider
Araniella cucurbitina Araniella cucurbitina
Jemma
Jemma 11 months ago
Golden Rod Crab Spider
Misumena vatia Misumena vatia - BugGuide.Net

18 Comments

Smith'sZoo
Smith'sZoo 10 months ago

wow.... love that tap too! ;)

Ursula
Ursula 10 months ago

& Jeannette! ;)

Ursula
Ursula 10 months ago

yes! that's it! thx Emma :)

Hemma
Hemma 10 months ago

http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/128...
Ursula,does this look like your spotting?

Ursula
Ursula 11 months ago

hey Jeannette! no, I have not missed your suggestion-thank you for it! i'm looking at it just now and comparing :)

Jeannette
Jeannette 11 months ago

I am sorry to ask, did you miss my suggestion?
I don't think it's a crabspider look at the legs....

Hemma
Hemma 11 months ago

It is a lovely color combination. What a beauty!

Ursula
Ursula 11 months ago

Emma! Yes, it does make sense and the pictures you found are much closer to it. I hope Bayucca will see it :) Nevertheless, thank you soooo much for helping me out with this! Now I like this spider even more :)

Hemma
Hemma 11 months ago

http://www.redbubble.com/people/chstudio...
These colors of the golden rod compare to yours.
What I would do is ,leave it as an unknown spotting and wait for Bayucca to see it.

Hemma
Hemma 11 months ago

younger females can actually change color at will.

Hemma
Hemma 11 months ago

Maybe the spider in your picture is in the process of color change.
These spiders change color by secreting a liquid yellow pigment into the outer cell layer of the body. On a white base, this pigment is transported into lower layers, so that inner glands, filled with white guanine, become visible. If the spider dwells longer on a white plant, the yellow pigment is often excreted. It will then take the spider much longer to change to yellow, because it will have to produce the yellow pigment first. The color change is induced by visual feedback; spiders with painted eyes were found to have lost this ability.
The color change from white to yellow takes between 10 and 25 days, the reverse about six days. The yellow pigments have been identified as kynurenine and 3-hydroxykynurenine
Does it make sense?

Hemma
Hemma 11 months ago

@ Ursula, I have seen color variations in this one. Check this out
http://bugguide.net/node/view/570504

Ursula
Ursula 11 months ago

@Emma, are you sure this is the right species. I've checked it out and it is supposed to be all yellow or all white, but the one on the picture has only yellow abdomen ... Although besides the color it looks the same ...
@Cindy, yes it has! I've noticed that. I'm really happy for all those people and for the site itself. I have really grown a big love for plants ever since I've joined in and now I can brag at home whenever I see a plant I know a name of! :)

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 11 months ago

This community has grown a lot. There are very knowledgeable people here that can help teach others about all types of organisms. I admit I'm a nature nerd after joining :)

Ursula
Ursula 11 months ago

Me too! I've never had anyone to tell me these things, but i was always curious, so Project Noah is a really cool place to get to know about nature :)

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 11 months ago

You're very welcome. I've learned a lot over the past year on Project Noah :)

Ursula
Ursula 11 months ago

Hey Cindy! I didn't know that! Thank you for letting me know :)

CindyBinghamKeiser
CindyBinghamKeiser 11 months ago

Hello Ursula, this is a pretty spider! All spiders have 8 legs. The front, shorter appendages are called pedipalps which help act as sense organs and/or locomotion. Sorry I cannon ID this beauty but perhaps someone else can.

Slovenia

Lat: 46.17, Long: 14.61

Spotted on Jun 25, 2012
Submitted on Jul 5, 2012

Spotted for mission

Related spottings

Araniella cucurbitina Cucumber Green Spider Araniella cucurbitina Araniella sp.

Nearby spottings

Common Blackbird/Crni kos Common blackbird European Robin/Tascica Violet garden rose