Arrowhead orbweaver (Verrucosa arenata)
The arrowhead orbweaver is a spider in the family Araneidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 1,625 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 26 states, most of all Virginia (343), North Carolina (161) and Maryland (156). Its observation records peak in August.
Verrucosa arenata, also known as the triangle orb weaver, arrowhead spider, and arrowhead orbweaver, is a species of orb-weaver spider found across North America. It is one of the few known large orb-weaver spiders that sits facing upwards in its web. Unlike most orb-weavers, which have bulbous abdomens, V. arenata has an abdomen that is pointy and triangular, shaped like the tip of an arrow.
From Wikipedia: Verrucosa arenata, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the arrowhead orbweaver poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the arrowhead orbweaver (family Araneidae) has venom for its prey, but it is not a widow or recluse, the two U.S. groups whose bites need medical attention.
Which states have the arrowhead orbweaver?
Records are spread over 26 states; the top three, Virginia, North Carolina and Maryland, hold 41% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 343 | 3.0% | 8th of 176 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 161 | 1.9% | 10th of 184 |
| 3 | Maryland | 156 | 2.7% | 9th of 153 |
| 4 | Ohio | 120 | 1.7% | 13th of 332 |
| 5 | Georgia | 108 | 1.6% | 16th of 186 |
| 6 | Tennessee | 81 | 2.2% | 11th of 138 |
| 7 | Kentucky | 76 | 4.1% | 4th of 103 |
| 8 | Alabama | 66 | 1.8% | 12th of 143 |
| 9 | Florida | 63 | 0.5% | 29th of 237 |
| 10 | Pennsylvania | 61 | 0.8% | 26th of 164 |
| 11 | Missouri | 58 | 2.5% | 7th of 117 |
| 12 | Indiana | 56 | 1.3% | 12th of 133 |
| 13 | Texas | 42 | 0.1% | 110th of 386 |
| 14 | South Carolina | 40 | 1.7% | 13th of 121 |
| 15 | Illinois | 38 | 0.2% | 75th of 243 |
| 16 | Louisiana | 30 | 0.7% | 26th of 107 |
| 17 | West Virginia | 22 | 2.9% | 7th of 90 |
| 18 | Arkansas | 17 | 1.0% | 26th of 114 |
| 19 | Kansas | 17 | 1.0% | 19th of 94 |
| 20 | Mississippi | 17 | 1.2% | 18th of 117 |
| 21 | New Jersey | 16 | 0.7% | 39th of 127 |
| 22 | Delaware | 11 | 0.5% | 46th of 71 |
| 23 | Oklahoma | 11 | 0.2% | 78th of 149 |
| 24 | New York | 7 | 0.1% | 91st of 149 |
| 25 | Nebraska | 6 | 0.5% | 42nd of 71 |
| 26 | Michigan | 0 | — | — |
When is the arrowhead orbweaver seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the arrowhead orbweaver run mostly June through October, peaking in August with 32% of them. Almost none are from December to February.
Season by state
Observation records run through most of the year in Florida. Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in April (Louisiana and Texas) and latest in July (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Tennessee). The most common peak month is August, shared by Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland and 5 more.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia | June through October | August | 342 |
| North Carolina | July through November | September | 161 |
| Maryland | June through September | August | 156 |
| Ohio | June through September | August | 120 |
| Georgia | June through October | September | 108 |
| Tennessee | July through October | August | 81 |
| Kentucky | July through September | August | 75 |
| Alabama | June through October | August | 66 |
| Pennsylvania | July through October | August | 61 |
| Indiana | July through September | August | 55 |
| Missouri | July through October | August | 55 |
| Florida | most of the year | May | 53 |
| Texas | April through October | October | 37 |
| South Carolina | June through November | July | 36 |
| Illinois | July through October | August | 34 |
| Louisiana | April through October | August | 30 |
Where the arrowhead orbweaver is recorded in each state
Virginia
Virginia holds 343 licensed records, the 8th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly June through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Prince William County and Arlington County. Next come Chesterfield County (13) and Loudoun County (12).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 161 licensed records, the 10th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly July through November, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Wake County, Orange County and Durham County. Next come Chatham County (12) and Mecklenburg County (6).
Maryland
Maryland holds 156 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly June through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Prince George's County, Montgomery County and Howard County. Next come Baltimore County (18) and Frederick County (13).
Ohio
Ohio holds 120 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly June through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Delaware County, Montgomery County and Franklin County. Next come Hamilton County (8) and Warren County (8).
Georgia
Georgia holds 108 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly June through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Clarke County, DeKalb County and Cobb County. Next come Fulton County (9) and Columbia County (7).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 81 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Tennessee run mostly July through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Knox County, Lincoln County and Marion County. Next come Cheatham County (5) and Davidson County (5).
Kentucky
Kentucky holds 76 licensed records, the 4th most recorded of 103 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Kentucky run mostly July through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Madison County, Fayette County and Jefferson County. Next come Campbell County (4) and Bullitt County (3).
Alabama
Alabama holds 66 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 143 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Alabama run mostly June through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Blount County, Jefferson County and Tuscaloosa County. Next come Madison County (4) and Winston County (4).
Florida
Florida holds 63 licensed records, the 29th most recorded of 237 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Florida run through most of the year, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Alachua County, Levy County and Polk County. Next come Seminole County (4) and Citrus County (4).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 61 licensed records, the 26th most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly July through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Allegheny County, Centre County and Westmoreland County. Next come Armstrong County (5) and Bucks County (5).
Missouri
Missouri holds 58 licensed records, the 7th most recorded of 117 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Missouri run mostly July through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Texas County, Dent County and Platte County. Next come DeKalb County (4) and St. Louis County (4).
Indiana
Indiana holds 56 licensed records, the 12th most recorded of 133 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Indiana run mostly July through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Monroe County, Orange County and Lawrence County. Next come Morgan County (5) and Clark County (4).
Texas
Texas holds 42 licensed records, the joint 110th most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly April through October, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Jasper County, Rains County and Smith County. Next come Fort Bend County (4) and Harrison County (3).
South Carolina
South Carolina holds 40 licensed records, the joint 13th most recorded of 121 spiders listed there. Its observation records in South Carolina run mostly June through November, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Charleston County, Abbeville County and Oconee County. Next come Richland County (4) and Chesterfield County (3).
Illinois
Illinois holds 38 licensed records, the joint 75th most recorded of 243 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Illinois run mostly July through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Jackson County, Randolph County and Union County. Next come Cook County (3) and Kankakee County (3).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 30 licensed records, the joint 26th most recorded of 107 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Louisiana run mostly April through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from East Baton Rouge Parish, West Feliciana Parish and Washington Parish. Next come Ascension Parish (3) and Caddo Parish (3).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 166 | 10.2% |
| 2 | Wake County | North Carolina | 42 | 2.6% |
| 3 | Orange County | North Carolina | 32 | 2.0% |
| 4 | Prince William County | Virginia | 32 | 2.0% |
| 5 | Prince George's County | Maryland | 29 | 1.8% |
| 6 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 28 | 1.7% |
| 7 | Blount County | Alabama | 24 | 1.5% |
| 8 | Alachua County | Florida | 22 | 1.4% |
| 9 | Madison County | Kentucky | 22 | 1.4% |
| 10 | Fayette County | Kentucky | 21 | 1.3% |
| 11 | Clarke County | Georgia | 20 | 1.2% |
| 12 | DeKalb County | Georgia | 20 | 1.2% |
| 13 | Howard County | Maryland | 19 | 1.2% |
| 14 | Baltimore County | Maryland | 18 | 1.1% |
| 15 | Durham County | North Carolina | 18 | 1.1% |
How recent are the arrowhead orbweaver records?
Most of what is known about the arrowhead orbweaver is recent: 94% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1904; the busiest year was 2023, with 236 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1950s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1970s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1980s | 6 | 0.4% |
| 1990s | 3 | 0.2% |
| 2000s | 5 | 0.3% |
| 2010s | 301 | 17.9% |
| 2020s | 1,368 | 81.1% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 237 counties where the arrowhead orbweaver is most recorded, 131 are also top counties for both the familiar jumping spider and the spotted orbweaver; no other spider shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Familiar jumping spider | 131 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 131 |
| Nursery web spider | 128 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 123 |
| Spined micrathena | 121 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 120 |
| Rabid wolf spider | 104 |
| Dark fishing spider | 100 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Araneidae with profiles here: Black-and-yellow argiope, Spotted orbweaver, Spiny-backed orbweaver, Garden spider, American golden orb weaver and Spined micrathena.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.