Humpbacked orbweaver (Eustala anastera)
The humpbacked orbweaver is a spider in the family Araneidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 308 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 32 states, most of all Texas (97), North Carolina (20) and Indiana (16). Its observation records peak in April.
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Eustala anastera, the humpbacked orbweaver, is a species of orb weaver in the family Araneidae. It is found in North and Central America.
From Wikipedia: Eustala anastera, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the humpbacked orbweaver poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the humpbacked 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 humpbacked orbweaver?
Records are spread over 32 states; the top three, Texas, North Carolina and Indiana, hold 43% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 97 | 0.3% | 59th of 386 |
| 2 | North Carolina | 20 | 0.2% | 68th of 184 |
| 3 | Indiana | 16 | 0.4% | 55th of 133 |
| 4 | Virginia | 16 | 0.1% | 93rd of 176 |
| 5 | Florida | 15 | 0.1% | 115th of 237 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 14 | 0.3% | 60th of 189 |
| 7 | Maryland | 13 | 0.2% | 78th of 153 |
| 8 | Ohio | 13 | 0.2% | 77th of 332 |
| 9 | Georgia | 10 | 0.1% | 93rd of 186 |
| 10 | Alabama | 9 | 0.3% | 76th of 143 |
| 11 | South Carolina | 8 | 0.3% | 56th of 121 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 8 | 0.3% | 82nd of 149 |
| 13 | Illinois | 7 | 0.0% | 213th of 243 |
| 14 | Oklahoma | 7 | 0.1% | 88th of 149 |
| 15 | California | 6 | 0.0% | 256th of 309 |
| 16 | Louisiana | 6 | 0.1% | 75th of 107 |
| 17 | New Jersey | 6 | 0.3% | 69th of 127 |
| 18 | Tennessee | 6 | 0.2% | 83rd of 138 |
| 19 | New York | 5 | 0.1% | 105th of 149 |
| 20 | Kentucky | 4 | 0.2% | 69th of 103 |
| 21 | Minnesota | 3 | 0.1% | 102nd of 145 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | 3 | 0.0% | 128th of 164 |
| 23 | Kansas | 2 | 0.1% | 74th of 94 |
| 24 | Michigan | 2 | 0.1% | 85th of 122 |
| 25 | Missouri | 2 | 0.1% | 82nd of 117 |
| 26 | Arkansas | 1 | 0.1% | 94th of 114 |
| 27 | Mississippi | 1 | 0.1% | 90th of 117 |
| 28 | West Virginia | 1 | 0.1% | 57th of 90 |
| 29 | Colorado | 0 | — | — |
| 30 | Connecticut | 0 | — | — |
| 31 | Maine | 0 | — | — |
| 32 | North Dakota | 0 | — | — |
When is the humpbacked orbweaver seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the humpbacked orbweaver run through most of the year, peaking in April with 16% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 10% of them.
How recent are the humpbacked orbweaver records?
Most of what is known about the humpbacked orbweaver is recent: 78% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1927; the busiest year was 2025, with 68 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1920s | 2 | 0.6% |
| 1930s | 5 | 1.6% |
| 1940s | 3 | 0.9% |
| 1950s | 1 | 0.3% |
| 1960s | 2 | 0.6% |
| 1970s | 2 | 0.6% |
| 1980s | 13 | 4.1% |
| 1990s | 1 | 0.3% |
| 2000s | 7 | 2.2% |
| 2010s | 55 | 17.3% |
| 2020s | 227 | 71.4% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 15 counties where the humpbacked orbweaver is most recorded, 9 are also top counties for each of the first seven spiders in the table below; no other spider shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Bold jumper | 9 |
| Box spider | 9 |
| Deadly ground crab spider | 9 |
| Falconina gracilis | 9 |
| Peppered jumper | 9 |
| Rabid wolf spider | 9 |
| Triangulate bud spider | 9 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 8 |
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.