Arrow shaped micrathena spiders are also known as Micrathena sagittata. It is a special type of spider belonging to the family Araneidae. These spiders are special because of the distinctive arrow shaped abdomen which is mostly yellow in color. A pair of tubercles is present at the back end of the abdomen which is pointed outwards, forming two corners of the triangular arrow shape body. A female arrowhead spider has spines at the edges of the abdomen which helps to prey at bay while male don’t have spines.

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Characteristics of arrowhead micrathena spiders

Color

Female micrathena spiders are brighter in color than the male spiders that are hardly seen. In fact, the male spiders possess a black body with white lines on the edges, whereas the females possess red heads and legs. 

Size

Male arrowhead spiders are 0.20 (5 mm) inches long in length while the females are a little larger and have a body length of 0.35 inches (9 mm).

Eggs

Eggs of arrowhead micrathena spiders are small and round, laid on the sides of the web, near to a leaf. They remain in the sac for the winter and hatch in the season of spring. 

Distribution and habitat

Arrowhead micrathena spiders are abundant in the central United States and in the eastern parts of America. They are adaptive to habitats like forested areas, shrubs and other trees present in the backyards of houses and gardens. An arrowhead micrathena spider can live up to 1 year.

Micrathena spiders are poisonous or dangerous?

Micrathena spiders are not poisonous and dangerous at all. If you catch a micrathena spider from a tree and pinch it over your skin it can bite you. Bite of a micrathena spider is not painful and a little more irritating than a mosquito bite but they are harmless and won’t spread any disease if they are looking for a shelter in the backyard of your home.