Tropical orb weaver (Eriophora ravilla)
The tropical orb weaver is a spider in the family Araneidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 819 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 7 states, most of all Texas (423), Florida (309) and Louisiana (66). Its observation records peak in July.
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Eriophora ravilla, the tropical orb weaver, is a species of orb weaver in the spider family Araneidae. It is found in a range from the United States to Brazil.
From Wikipedia: Eriophora ravilla, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the tropical orb weaver poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the tropical orb weaver (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 tropical orb weaver?
The tropical orb weaver's U.S. record is concentrated: Texas alone holds 52% of licensed records. It is listed in 7 states in all; the next are Florida (309), Louisiana (66) and Mississippi (8).
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 423 | 1.5% | 13th of 386 |
| 2 | Florida | 309 | 2.5% | 9th of 237 |
| 3 | Louisiana | 66 | 1.6% | 15th of 107 |
| 4 | Mississippi | 8 | 0.6% | 35th of 117 |
| 5 | Alabama | 5 | 0.1% | 85th of 143 |
| 6 | Georgia | 4 | 0.1% | 129th of 186 |
| 7 | South Carolina | 4 | 0.2% | 76th of 121 |
When is the tropical orb weaver seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the tropical orb weaver run through most of the year, peaking in July with 12% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 24% of them.
Season by state
Observation records run through most of the year in Florida and Texas. The most common peak month is July, shared by Louisiana and Texas.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | most of the year | July | 422 |
| Florida | most of the year | December | 290 |
| Louisiana | November through July | July | 66 |
Where the tropical orb weaver is recorded in each state
Texas
Texas holds 423 licensed records, the 13th most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run through most of the year, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Hidalgo County, Harris County and Cameron County. Next come Galveston County (10) and Brazoria County (8).
Florida
Florida holds 309 licensed records, the 9th most recorded of 237 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Florida run through most of the year, peaking in December; most licensed records come from Broward County, Miami-Dade County and Alachua County. Next come Orange County (13) and Monroe County (11).
Louisiana
Louisiana holds 66 licensed records, the 15th most recorded of 107 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Louisiana run mostly November through July, peaking in July; most licensed records come from East Baton Rouge Parish, Calcasieu Parish and Lafayette Parish. Next come Saint Tammany Parish (5) and Vernon Parish (5).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hidalgo County | Texas | 326 | 39.8% |
| 2 | Broward County | Florida | 110 | 13.4% |
| 3 | Miami-Dade County | Florida | 69 | 8.4% |
| 4 | East Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana | 33 | 4.0% |
| 5 | Harris County | Texas | 33 | 4.0% |
| 6 | Cameron County | Texas | 23 | 2.8% |
| 7 | Alachua County | Florida | 15 | 1.8% |
| 8 | Orange County | Florida | 13 | 1.6% |
| 9 | Monroe County | Florida | 11 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Galveston County | Texas | 10 | 1.2% |
| 11 | Sarasota County | Florida | 9 | 1.1% |
| 12 | Highlands County | Florida | 8 | 1.0% |
| 13 | Seminole County | Florida | 8 | 1.0% |
| 14 | Brazoria County | Texas | 8 | 1.0% |
| 15 | Polk County | Florida | 7 | 0.9% |
How recent are the tropical orb weaver records?
Most of what is known about the tropical orb weaver is recent: 95% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1934; the busiest year was 2022, with 136 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1930s | 4 | 0.5% |
| 1950s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1980s | 3 | 0.3% |
| 1990s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 2000s | 10 | 1.2% |
| 2010s | 191 | 22.2% |
| 2020s | 652 | 75.6% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 41 counties where the tropical orb weaver is most recorded, 29 are also top counties for Leucauge argyrobapta, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Leucauge argyrobapta | 29 |
| American golden orb weaver | 26 |
| Gray wall jumper | 25 |
| Spiny-backed orbweaver | 25 |
| Magnolia green jumper | 23 |
| Arabesque orbweaver | 21 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 21 |
| Arrowhead orbweaver | 20 |
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.