Neoscona crucifera (Spotted Orbweaver)

Overview

Neoscona crucifera (spotted orbweaver) is a large, colorful orb-weaving spider common throughout eastern and central North America, including the Chicago region. It is a member of the family Araneidae (orbweavers), known for constructing large, intricate circular webs. These spiders are nocturnal hunters and play a significant role in insect population control.

Unlike bees or butterflies, they do not rely on specific host plants, but their survival is tightly linked to habitat structure (places to anchor webs) and abundant insect prey.

Ecological Role

• Predators of insects. Orbweavers are sit-and-wait predators, capturing moths, beetles, mosquitoes, flies, and even agricultural pests. They help regulate insect populations in gardens and natural areas.

• Food for others. They are prey for birds (esp. insectivorous songbirds), wasps (e.g., spider wasps), and small mammals. Their egg sacs are also eaten by predators.

• Biodiversity support. By consuming large numbers of insects, they indirectly support plant health, reducing herbivore pressure.

In short: N. crucifera is a keystone arthropod predator in Chicago ecosystems.

Life Cycle

• Spring: Spiderlings hatch from egg sacs that overwinter in protected places (leaf litter, bark crevices, or tucked into man-made structures).

• Summer: Juveniles disperse by “ballooning” on silk threads, then build progressively larger webs.

• Late summer–fall: Adults are most visible (August–October). They construct large, symmetrical orb webs at dusk, usually in open spaces among vegetation, returning to hide during the day.

• Mating: Males roam in late summer seeking females. Females produce large egg sacs attached to vegetation or sheltered structures.

• Winter: Adults die with frost; the next generation overwinters in egg sacs.

Note: Their seasonal appearance explains why you see them most in autumn, glowing orange-brown in porchlights or garden shrubs.

Supporting Neoscona crucifera in Chicago

Unlike pollinators, orbweavers don’t need host plants for food. Instead, they need:

1. Habitat structure

• Vertical vegetation & branching plants where webs can be suspended across open air.

• Tall forbs and grasses to provide anchoring points.

• Edge habitats (garden–lawn borders, woodland edges, fences, shrubs).

2. Abundant insect prey

Since they feed on flying insects, planting native species that attract moths, flies, and beetles will indirectly support them. Night-blooming or nectar-rich plants are especially useful because many of their prey are nocturnal.

Best Native Plants to Attract Prey for Orbweavers in Chicago

Early season

• Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) – Attracts small flies, beetles, and bees.

• Golden Alexanders (Zizia aurea) – Umbel flowers that draw diverse small insects.

Summer

• Common Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) – Attracts moths, beetles, and flies; hosts milkweed beetles and moth larvae that feed nearby.

• Wild Bergamot (Monarda fistulosa) – Lamiaceae nectar source; heavy insect visitation, especially moths and bees.

• Mountain Mints (Pycnanthemum muticum, P. tenuifolium) – Among the top insect-attracting plants; supports diverse flies, wasps, and beetles.

Late season

• Goldenrods (Solidago speciosa, S. rigida) – Key late nectar source, draws swarms of flies, beetles, and wasps.

• Asters (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae, S. oblongifolium) – Bloom late into fall, attracting moths and other flying insects.

How to Grow These Plants in Chicago

• General strategy: Choose sunny prairie perennials and plant in clumps to attract prey insects. Use a mix of spring, summer, and fall bloomers.

• Soils: Most of these natives prefer medium to dry, well-drained soils typical of Chicago prairies.

• Establishment: Many require cold-moist stratification of seeds (sow in fall or stratify indoors for 60–90 days). Easier option: start from plugs via local native plant nurseries.

• Maintenance: Minimal fertilizer; cut stems back only in spring to preserve overwintering insect eggs/pupae (which later feed spiders). Avoid pesticides.

Summary

• Ecological role: Neoscona crucifera is a nocturnal orbweaver that controls insect populations and provides food for higher trophic levels.

• Life cycle: Overwinters in egg sacs → spiderlings in spring → juveniles in summer → adults in late summer–fall → egg sacs for next generation.

• Support in Chicago: Provide habitat structure (shrubs, tall forbs, fences) and plant insect-attracting natives (milkweed, monarda, mountain mint, goldenrods, asters). These plants supply prey, not nectar for the spiders themselves.

• Gardening tip: Think prairie edges and layered plantings—a mix of grasses, forbs, and shrubs will maximize prey diversity and web-building spots.