Barn Spider
Araneus cavaticus
This record describes Araneus cavaticus (species). Recorded family: Araneidae. Recorded order: Araneae.
Identification and Appearance
Araneus cavaticus is often confused with Neoscona crucifera . These two species can be differentiated using two main features: 1) Araneus cavaticus has 'shoulders' near the front on the dorsal side of the abdomen. A. cavaticus N. crucifera 2) Araneus cavaticus has comma shaped ventral marks, Neoscona has more of a broken L A. cavaticus N. crucifera This is the spider in the book Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. The spider's full name is Charlotte A. Cavatica.
Classification
About Spiders: the wider group
Order-level background for Araneae, the group containing Araneus cavaticus. Species-specific details appear above.
Group overview
As of 2023, 51,673 spider species in 136 families have been recorded, though an estimated 150,000 species exist. Spiders rank 7th in total species diversity among all organism orders. Only 0.5% of spider species pose any risk to human health.
Ecological role of the group
Spider venom contains complex peptides with diverse pharmacological activities, making them valuable for drug development research. Spiders produce up to 7 types of silk from specialized glands. Spider silk genes have been inserted into mammals and plants for biotech applications.
Economic and practical significance of the group
The global spider community kills an estimated 400-800 million tons of prey annually (2017 study). Spiders provide billions of dollars in natural pest control for agriculture. Spider silk is 5× stronger than steel of the same diameter, driving a biomaterials research industry.
Recorded sources for this group: World Spider Catalog, PNAS, Nature, ScienceDirect. Imported estimates may describe particular regions or reporting periods.
Photos of Barn Spider (6)
Photo credits: Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck; Additional contributions by Lynette Elliott , cheins , kschnei