Fun Furrow Spider Facts For Kids

The orb-weaver of the Araneidae family, the Larinioides cornutus, commonly known as the Cornutus furrow, is a species of spiders with its habitat mainly in North America. This spider is also known as a furrow orb spider and a foliate spider.

These arthropods build their web in the porches of urban houses and moist places like under the roof and near your bathroom pipes. They build their web close to the ground, and every night, they consume their web and a new web is built in the evening the next day. Orb-weavers live independently since their birth. However, they might be hunted and eaten by birds especially the black-and-yellow mud daubers.

 If you liked reading this, then you must also read our other articles about garden orb weaver spider facts and green lynx spider facts.

What type of animal is a furrow spider?

The Larinioides cornutus (scientific name) or the furrow orb-weaver is a spider species belonging to the order Araneae. They have a large round abdomen that makes them look big and bulbous. There is an arrow-like faded pattern running through the middle of their back. They have eight eyes like other orb-weavers. The females are bigger in size and are more ferocious than the males. The pattern on their body is also in their legs. Their feeding habits are mainly during the night as they hide in the foliate during the day and come out during the night to hunt.

What class of animal does a furrow spider belong to?

The Larinioides cornutus (scientific name) is an orb-weaver that is commonly known as the furrow spider. They belong to the class of Arachnida. This orb-weaver species has a distinct feature on the back that is an arrow-like pattern that also covers their legs. They belong to the Araneidae family.

How many furrow spiders are there in the world?

The Larinioides cornutus or the furrow orb-weaver is common and found widely all around the world. Researchers confirm that they are abundantly found. Their exact number or population, however, is yet to be estimated or discovered.

Where does a furrow spider live?

Furrow spider webs are found throughout the moist areas of North America, in Mexico, Canada, and eastern Alaska. They are also found in some parts of eastern and northern Asia, Europe, and Africa. They are commonly found under the eaves and porches of houses in their small orb webs.

What is a furrow spider's habitat?

Furrow spiders are found lurking in moist areas, mostly near the water. Their perfect habitat is built between the shrubs and bushes in the form of orb webs. During the day, they remain in the silk cocoon they have built, surrounded with plant and animal matter. They come out during the night. They remake their orb web in the evening. The Cornatus furrow does not hibernate like other spider species. Instead, they have an annual cycle of resistance in their body.

Who do furrow spiders live with?

They live in dozens, however, they separate from each other by a few inches (centimeters). Each of them has its own orb webs. They like to live in solitude, but not too far away from each other. It is a strange combination if you ask us.

How long does a furrow spider live?

The Larinioides cornutus or the furrow orb-weaver are spiders that live until they mate. The males die after mating, and many think that they are eaten by the females. However, the females die after mating too or sometimes live until their eggs hatch. They live for around one year.

How do they reproduce?

The mating season of furrow spiders is mainly spring and fall. The female spider creates a silk cocoon in the foliate for the eggs and the female resides in the cocoon. they emit pheromones to lure the male in their web, which the male can sense with their chemoreceptors. Males fertilize the eggs of the females using their pedipalps, after which the egg sacs become yellow. The male lives with the female spider during reproduction. The females produce three to five yellow egg sacs, and they remain there after hatching for two to three months before they disperse.

What is their conservation status?

This Cornutus furrow species is found widely in North America and have been given the status of Least Concern by the IUCN.

What do furrow spiders look like?

The Larinioides cornutus or furrow spiders are a species of orb weavers belonging to the Araneae family of the Larinioides genus. These orb weavers have large legs and an oval-shaped abdomen which is bulbous. They are brownish yellow, black, grayish-yellow, and reddish in color. They have a lighter shaded arrow pattern running through the middle of their back as well as legs. Their front two legs are longer than their hind legs. They have a horizontal row of eight eyes in their head. They do not have ears and are not able to hear, but they can sense the sounds and motions because of the micro hairs present on their legs. The females are generally bigger in size than the males.

How cute are they?

The furrow orb weaver spider is not cute at all. In fact, one look is enough to scare anyone. This orb weaver species is really dangerous. If you observe them closely, you can see that they first paralyze their victims and then eat them slowly. However, just like other spiders, they are not very desirable to people.

How do they communicate?

Generally, the furrow spider web is built away from each other and they do not meet until the mating season. However, during that particular period, the females emit pheromones to lure the male into their web, which the males can sense with their chemoreceptors.

How big is a furrow spider?

The furrow spider has a body length range of 0.2-0.6 in (6-14 mm), and the length of their legs ranges from 0.7-1.4 in (18-35 mm). The females are bigger in size.

How fast can furrow spiders move?

As they are orb weavers or commonly called spiders, they do not move fast. In fact, their movements are always calculated and slow. They build their orb web on the foliage of trees and wait for the insects to get stuck in their web. Their webs are generally sticky, so it is easier for them to catch prey. By the time the insects try to get out of their web, these furrow spiders come out slowly and bite them so that they can't move. If the insects have stings, these spiders can't harm them. After the insect is paralyzed, the spider devours them. They don't need speed if their webs work.

How much does a furrow spider weigh?

This furrow spider species has a weight range from 0.004-0.010 oz (0.1-0.3 g). They are big in size compared to other spiders. They have a big round abdomen.

What are the male and female names of the species?

The Cornutus furrow or the furrow orb-weaver are distinguished as male and female Cornutus furrow spiders. They don't have any specified names as such. The pair meets only to mate and then die afterwards.

What would you call a baby furrow spider?

Young Cornutus furrows are called furrow spider babies or juvenile Larinioides cornutus. After they hatch from the eggs, the babies stay in the cocoon for two to three months, and after that, they disperse. They don't get to see their parents as their parents already die before the eggs hatch.

What do they eat?

These Larinioides cornutus or furrow spiders prey on small insects, mosquitoes, moths, and ants. Their bite will paralyze prey, and then the spider positions itself over the prey and starts spraying their silk all around the body of the pest from their spinnerets.

Are they poisonous?

Yes, the furrow spider bite and their poison can paralyze their victims and can be very dangerous. However, they don't normally bite humans unless they are threatened or disturbed. Their venom is difficult to produce, and that is why they rarely bite. However, even if they bite, it might feel just like a bee sting and it not too harmful to humans. Nevertheless, this bite works brilliantly on their prey which is really good for these stinging insects.

Would they make a good pet?

Not at all. They are venomous spiders and are not the type you keep as pets. However, there are spider experts who might be interested in taking care of these orb weavers.

Did you know...

Like most spiders, the males die after mating. It is said that the females often end up eating the males after mating. The males generally stay away from the female spider except during reproduction.

How to identify a furrow spider? 

The Cornutus furrow has a large oval-shaped body and bulbous abdomen with a zigzag pattern running through the middle of its back. They have six eyes on a horizontal row and another two eyes in the above row. This species is mostly found in America, and the furrow spider poisonous venoms might paralyze their victims.

How to get rid of furrow spiders?

To get rid of the furrow spider in your house, you need to trim your bushes and shrubs and remove all the dead leaves, branches, and any dirt or debris under which the Cornutus furrow might inhibit where they might be hiding during the day. If you keep your garden clean constantly, they will have fewer places to hide and might eventually go away.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods from our whip spider facts and southern house spider facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable jumping spider coloring pages.