Bridge orbweaver (Larinioides sclopetarius)
The bridge orbweaver is a spider in the family Araneidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 419 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 22 states, most of all Wisconsin (55), Michigan (48) and New York (40). Its observation records peak in September.
Larinioides sclopetarius, commonly called bridge-spider or gray cross-spider, is a relatively large orb-weaver spider with Holarctic distribution. These spiders originated in Europe, have been observed as south as the Mediterranean Coast and as north as Finland, and have been introduced to North America. They are often found on bridges, especially near light and over water.
From Wikipedia: Larinioides sclopetarius, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the bridge orbweaver poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the bridge 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 bridge orbweaver?
Records are spread over 22 states; the top three, Wisconsin, Michigan and New York, hold 34% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | 55 | 1.8% | 8th of 149 |
| 2 | Michigan | 48 | 2.0% | 11th of 122 |
| 3 | New York | 40 | 0.6% | 38th of 149 |
| 4 | Washington | 39 | 1.0% | 19th of 157 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 36 | 0.8% | 29th of 189 |
| 6 | Illinois | 33 | 0.2% | 84th of 243 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 21 | 0.3% | 57th of 164 |
| 8 | Maine | 14 | 1.5% | 17th of 297 |
| 9 | Minnesota | 14 | 0.5% | 46th of 145 |
| 10 | California | 12 | 0.0% | 207th of 309 |
| 11 | Vermont | 11 | 0.7% | 32nd of 74 |
| 12 | New Jersey | 10 | 0.4% | 52nd of 127 |
| 13 | Maryland | 8 | 0.1% | 98th of 153 |
| 14 | Oregon | 8 | 0.3% | 45th of 88 |
| 15 | Connecticut | 7 | 0.7% | 30th of 86 |
| 16 | Indiana | 7 | 0.2% | 103rd of 133 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 7 | 0.5% | 43rd of 72 |
| 18 | Ohio | 7 | 0.1% | 105th of 332 |
| 19 | Alaska | 6 | 0.0% | 278th of 280 |
| 20 | Virginia | 6 | 0.1% | 127th of 176 |
| 21 | Iowa | 2 | 0.3% | 38th of 57 |
| 22 | West Virginia | 1 | 0.1% | 57th of 90 |
When is the bridge orbweaver seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the bridge orbweaver run mostly April through November, peaking in September with 22% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 3% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (Washington) and latest in May (Massachusetts and Wisconsin). Each of these states peaks in a different month: June in Michigan, July in Washington, August in Wisconsin, September in New York and October in Massachusetts.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | May through October | August | 53 |
| Michigan | April through October | June | 44 |
| New York | April through November | September | 40 |
| Washington | March through October | July | 39 |
| Massachusetts | May through November | October | 36 |
Where the bridge orbweaver is recorded in each state
Wisconsin
Wisconsin holds 55 licensed records, the joint 8th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Wisconsin run mostly May through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Dane County, Brown County and Milwaukee County. Next come Waukesha County (6) and Kenosha County (3).
Michigan
Michigan holds 48 licensed records, the 11th most recorded of 122 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Michigan run mostly April through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Washtenaw County, Bay County and Monroe County. Next come Emmet County (3) and Alcona County (2).
New York
New York holds 40 licensed records, the joint 38th most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly April through November, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Tompkins County, Erie County and Monroe County. Next come Allegany County (2) and Oneida County (2).
Washington
Washington holds 39 licensed records, the joint 19th most recorded of 157 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Washington run mostly March through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from King County, Pierce County and Snohomish County. Next come Spokane County (2) and Thurston County (2).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 36 licensed records, the 29th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Massachusetts run mostly May through November, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Suffolk County, Middlesex County and Norfolk County. Next come Barnstable County (1).
Illinois
Illinois holds 33 licensed records, the joint 84th most recorded of 243 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Illinois come from Cook County, DuPage County and Will County. Next come Winnebago County (1) and Kane County (1).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Suffolk County | Massachusetts | 29 | 6.9% |
| 2 | Cook County | Illinois | 24 | 5.7% |
| 3 | Dane County | Wisconsin | 16 | 3.8% |
| 4 | Tompkins County | New York | 14 | 3.3% |
| 5 | King County | Washington | 13 | 3.1% |
| 6 | Pierce County | Washington | 13 | 3.1% |
| 7 | Brown County | Wisconsin | 10 | 2.4% |
| 8 | Washtenaw County | Michigan | 7 | 1.7% |
| 9 | Bay County | Michigan | 7 | 1.7% |
| 10 | Milwaukee County | Wisconsin | 6 | 1.4% |
| 11 | Waukesha County | Wisconsin | 6 | 1.4% |
| 12 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | 5 | 1.2% |
| 13 | Erie County | New York | 5 | 1.2% |
| 14 | DuPage County | Illinois | 4 | 1.0% |
| 15 | Monroe County | Michigan | 4 | 1.0% |
How recent are the bridge orbweaver records?
Most of what is known about the bridge orbweaver is recent: 84% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1928; the busiest year was 2025, with 96 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1940s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1950s | 4 | 0.9% |
| 1970s | 1 | 0.2% |
| 1990s | 5 | 1.1% |
| 2000s | 8 | 1.8% |
| 2010s | 78 | 17.9% |
| 2020s | 337 | 77.5% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 66 counties where the bridge orbweaver is most recorded, 38 are also top counties for the zebra spider, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Zebra spider | 38 |
| Bold jumper | 34 |
| Garden spider | 32 |
| Bronze jumper | 30 |
| Sixspotted orbweaver | 26 |
| Triangulate bud spider | 26 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 25 |
| Furrow orbweaver | 25 |
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.