Pest profile

Cross Orbweaver

Araneus diadematus · Araneae: Araneidae[4]

The cross orbweaver is a variable yellow-to-brown orb weaver with pale spots forming a cross on its abdomen, often found on buildings with outdoor lighting.[1]

Cross orbweaver in its web, showing the pale spots that form a cross on its brown abdomen
Cross orbweaver in its web, showing the pale spots that form a cross on its brown abdomen. (c) TonyT, some rights reserved (CC BY) — via iNaturalist, CC BY 4.0

How to identify it

  • Adult females are 6.5 to 20 mm long and males 5.5 to 13 mm; smaller, younger spiders are darker and adult females lighter.[1]
  • The abdomen is yellow to brown with two wavy lengthwise lines and white or yellow spots; four long spots near the front form a cross.[1]
  • The front body section has three dark lengthwise bands.[1]

Look-alikes

Look-alikeHow to tell them apart
Banded garden spiderHas the same three dark bands on the front body section, but its abdomen is banded silver, yellow and black.[1][2]

Where it lives

Probably introduced from Europe, it's known from Pennsylvania north through New England and Canada and south into Washington and Oregon.[1]

US map: public records from 19 states since 1990 (GBIF).

Biology and life cycle

Adults are found from late summer through autumn.[1]

In late September females leave their webs to lay 300 to 900 eggs in a yellow silk cocoon under dead bark or in cracks and crevices.[1]

It's commonly found on or next to buildings with exterior lighting, including lighted stairwells in rural areas.[1]

Damage and signs

  • Penn State Extension mentions no damage; outdoor lights draw insects, which in turn draw spiders.[1][3]

Health risk

Verified bites caused pain, swelling and redness, and in some people anxiety, nausea, headache and muscle cramps lasting two days to three weeks.[1]

Control

Prevention

Outdoor lights attract insects and, in turn, spiders; keep fixtures off walls and away from windows and doorways where possible.[3]

Traps and physical control

Sweep, hose or vacuum webs and spiders off buildings regularly.[3]

Pesticides

UC IPM advises against spraying spiders outdoors in general, since insecticides don't give long-term control.[3]

Common questions

Why are there big orb webs around my porch light every fall?
Cross orbweavers are commonly found on buildings with exterior lighting from late summer through autumn.[1]
Is a cross orbweaver bite dangerous?
Verified bites caused pain, swelling and redness, sometimes with nausea or headache lasting days to weeks.[1]

Sources

  1. Penn State Extension, “Cross Orbweaver Spider.” extension.psu.edu/cross-orbweaver-spider (accessed 2026-10-06)
  2. Penn State Extension, “Banded Garden Spider.” extension.psu.edu/banded-garden-spider (accessed 2026-10-06)
  3. University of California Statewide IPM Program, “Spiders (Pest Notes, Home and Landscape).” ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/spiders/ (accessed 2026-10-06)
  4. iNaturalist, “Araneus diadematus taxon page (order and family).” www.inaturalist.org/taxa/52628 (accessed 2026-10-06)

Updated 2026-10-14. Built from sourced records. Spot an error? Tell us.