Fun Arrow-shaped Micrathena Facts For Kids

The arrow-shaped micrathena spider (Micrathena sagittata) is a species of spider that can be found in the Eastern United States and Central America. These small-sized creatures derive their unique name from their triangular arrow-shaped abdomen. They are orb weavers, that is they form new webs frequently, almost on a daily basis. They belong to the genus Micrathena, family Araneidae, order Araneae and phylum Arthropoda. The color of their abdomen is yellow with patterns of black and the rest of their body parts is mostly red in color. Females are generally larger in length than males. They feed on a large variety of insects that get trapped in their webs. Some of the common predators include other larger birds and lizards. During autumn, which is their breeding season, they form pairs and females lay egg sacs containing almost 90 eggs. The conservation status of this species is Not Listed and there has been no report of this species facing threat in the near future.

Keep on reading to know more about the arrow-shaped micrathena (Micrathena sagittata). Check out desert tarantula and orb weaver spider to learn more about other animals.

What type of animal is an arrow-shaped micrathena?

The arrow-shaped micrathena (Micrathena sagittata) is a species of spider that can be found in the eastern regions of the United States, among many others.

What class of animal does an arrow-shaped micrathena belong to?

The arrow-shaped Micrathena(Micrathena sagittata) belongs to the Arachnida class of animals, the genus Micrathena, the family Araneidae, and the order Araneae.

How many arrow-shaped micrathena spiders are there in the world?

The exact population of these orb weavers is not yet known. However, there has been no direct threat to their population, and is unlikely to go extinct in the near future.

Where does an arrow-shaped micrathena live?

The arrow-shaped micrathena (Micrathena sagittata) can be found in the eastern regions of the United States and over the areas of Central America.

What is an arrow-shaped micrathena's habitat?

The habitat of this species of spider includes forest regions or the garden and backyards of a house.

Who do arrow-shaped micrathena spiders live with?

Not much is known about the movement of this species of spiders, however, most species of spiders (like wolf spiders) are generally solitary creatures and move alone, instead of in groups.

How long does an arrow-shaped micrathena live?

The lifespan of the arrow-shaped micrathena (Micrathena sagittata) ranges from one to two years. Females are known to have a longer lifespan than males of this species.

How do they reproduce?

Autumn is considered to be the breeding season of these spiders, when females lay egg sacs, containing almost 90 eggs. Eggs are usually laid on a leaf, that is right next to its web, to protect from other predators. The eggs hatch in the season of spring and develop into adults.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of this species of spider belonging to the family Araneidae and genus Micrathena is Not Listed in the Red List of the IUCN. However, there is no imminent threat to their population that can lead to their extinction.

What do arrow-shaped micrathena spiders look like?

As the name suggests, the arrow-shaped micrathena (Micrathena sagittata) has an arrow-shaped abdomen, unlike the round abdomen, which is prevalent in most species of spiders. The abdomen is largely yellow in color, with patterns of black and red on them, and has three pairs of tubercles tipped at the base. Apart from the abdomen, most of the parts of the body are red in color. Females are usually larger in size than males. Males, in turn, do not possess any spine, unlike females who have sharp spines. They belong to the family Araneidae and genus Micrathena.

How cute are they?

Spiders are not at all cute. Although these species do possess a unique coloration of their body  (a mix of yellow and red), human beings are most likely to avoid the species.

How do they communicate?

Not much is known about how the arrow-shaped micrathena spider (Micrathena sagittata) communicates with each other. Most species of spiders in general, make use of their webs, to gather information. The little vibrations in their webs, after being plucked, send out significant messages of any approaching predator or prey.

How big is an arrow-shaped micrathena?

Found in the Eastern United States, the arrow-shaped micrathena size differs from male to female, where, females are usually larger in length than males. The average length attained by an adult of this species ranges from  0.1-0.3 in (4-9 mm). They are smaller in size than the goliath bird eater.

How fast can arrow-shaped micrathena spiders move?

The exact speed of the arrow-shaped micrathena spider (Micrathena sagittata) is not yet known. However, spiders in general, are fast-moving creatures and can easily cover long distances within a short period of time.

How much does an arrow-shaped micrathena weigh?

The weight of the arrow-shaped micrathena spider (Micrathena sagittata) is not yet known. Females are known to have a larger body size than males of this species.

What are the male and female names of the species?

There is no sex-specific name for this species of spider. A male of this species goes by the name of male arrow-shaped micrathena spider, while females are known as female arrow-shaped micrathena spider.

What would you call a baby arrow-shaped micrathena?

A juvenile or immature arrow-shaped micrathena spider (Micrathena sagittata) is called a spiderling.

What do they eat?

The diet of this species of spider (Micrathena sagittata) includes a large variety of insects that get caught in their webs, unlike yellow sac spiders.

Are they poisonous?

Yes, these spiders are poisonous, just like a mouse spider, and contain venom that can paralyze and kill insects. However, they do not possess any imminent threat to human beings and are not harmful to us in any way. An arrow-shaped micrathena bite is not harmful to a human being.

Would they make a good pet?

These spiders are kept as a pet in certain households. However, because of their small size and even smaller lifespan, they are not the ideal pets. They are much better in the wild.

Did you know...

This spider is also called orb weavers as they build their webs quite frequently, almost on a daily basis.

Why is it called arrow-shaped micrathena?

Found in the Eastern United States, the arrow-shaped microthena (Micrathena sagittata) is called so because of the peculiar shape of their abdomen. While most spiders have a round abdomen, this species of spiders have an abdomen in the shape of an arrow. Their abdomens are long in size and triangular in shape, almost like the shape of an arrow. They belong to the family Araneidae and genus Micrathena.

Are arrow-shaped micrathena spiders rare?

The conservation status of this spider is Not List. They can be found in abundance in the Eastern United States and Central America. So, this species is not considered rare.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these whip spider facts and southern house spider facts for kids.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable arrow shaped micrathena coloring pages.