Tuftlegged orbweaver (Mangora placida)
The tuftlegged orbweaver is a spider in the family Araneidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 697 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 33 states, most of all Texas (79), Florida (78) and North Carolina (56). Its observation records peak in May.
Is the tuftlegged orbweaver poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the tuftlegged 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 tuftlegged orbweaver?
Records are spread over 33 states; the top three, Texas, Florida and North Carolina, hold 31% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 79 | 0.3% | 72nd of 386 |
| 2 | Florida | 78 | 0.6% | 22nd of 237 |
| 3 | North Carolina | 56 | 0.7% | 35th of 184 |
| 4 | Ohio | 56 | 0.8% | 31st of 332 |
| 5 | New York | 50 | 0.8% | 31st of 149 |
| 6 | Alabama | 45 | 1.3% | 16th of 143 |
| 7 | Illinois | 40 | 0.2% | 71st of 243 |
| 8 | Georgia | 31 | 0.5% | 46th of 186 |
| 9 | Louisiana | 25 | 0.6% | 33rd of 107 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 23 | 0.8% | 27th of 145 |
| 11 | Vermont | 23 | 1.5% | 18th of 74 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 22 | 0.7% | 35th of 149 |
| 13 | South Carolina | 21 | 0.9% | 25th of 121 |
| 14 | Michigan | 18 | 0.8% | 30th of 122 |
| 15 | Indiana | 15 | 0.3% | 59th of 133 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 14 | 0.2% | 70th of 164 |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 12 | 0.9% | 30th of 72 |
| 18 | Mississippi | 11 | 0.8% | 28th of 117 |
| 19 | Tennessee | 10 | 0.3% | 65th of 138 |
| 20 | Virginia | 10 | 0.1% | 111th of 176 |
| 21 | Kansas | 9 | 0.5% | 30th of 94 |
| 22 | Nebraska | 9 | 0.7% | 31st of 71 |
| 23 | Maryland | 8 | 0.1% | 98th of 153 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | 8 | 0.2% | 81st of 189 |
| 25 | Missouri | 7 | 0.3% | 54th of 117 |
| 26 | Kentucky | 4 | 0.2% | 69th of 103 |
| 27 | Oklahoma | 4 | 0.1% | 110th of 149 |
| 28 | Maine | 3 | 0.3% | 41st of 297 |
| 29 | New Jersey | 2 | 0.1% | 102nd of 127 |
| 30 | Arkansas | 1 | 0.1% | 94th of 114 |
| 31 | Connecticut | 0 | — | — |
| 32 | Iowa | 0 | — | — |
| 33 | West Virginia | 0 | — | — |
When is the tuftlegged orbweaver seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the tuftlegged orbweaver run through most of the year, peaking in May with 23% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 13% of them.
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 February (New York) and latest in April (Illinois). The most common peak month is May, shared by Georgia, Illinois, New York and Ohio.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | December through June | April | 68 |
| North Carolina | November through June | April | 56 |
| Ohio | March through October | May | 55 |
| Florida | most of the year | December | 53 |
| New York | February through September | May | 49 |
| Alabama | March through November | March | 45 |
| Georgia | December through July | May | 30 |
| Illinois | April through October | May | 30 |
Where the tuftlegged orbweaver is recorded in each state
Texas
Texas holds 79 licensed records, the 72nd most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly December through June, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Travis County, Hidalgo County and Fort Bend County. Next come Bexar County (5) and Dallas County (4).
Florida
Florida holds 78 licensed records, the joint 22nd 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 Alachua County, Collier County and Monroe County. Next come Orange County (7) and Marion County (5).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 56 licensed records, the joint 35th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly November through June, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Orange County, Cumberland County and Wake County. Next come Buncombe County (3) and Chatham County (3).
Ohio
Ohio holds 56 licensed records, the joint 31st most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly March through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Mahoning County, Franklin County and Richland County. Next come Portage County (5) and Greene County (3).
New York
New York holds 50 licensed records, the 31st most recorded of 149 spiders listed there. Its observation records in New York run mostly February through September, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Tompkins County, Onondaga County and Wayne County. Next come Erie County (6) and Clinton County (3).
Alabama
Alabama holds 45 licensed records, the 16th most recorded of 143 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Alabama run mostly March through November, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Blount County, Jefferson County and Tuscaloosa County. Next come DeKalb County (2) and Pickens County (2).
Illinois
Illinois holds 40 licensed records, the joint 71st most recorded of 243 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Illinois run mostly April through October, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Cook County, Lake County and Winnebago County. Next come Jo Daviess County (5) and Champaign County (4).
Georgia
Georgia holds 31 licensed records, the joint 46th most recorded of 186 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Georgia run mostly December through July, peaking in May; most licensed records come from Clarke County, Cobb County and DeKalb County. Next come Chatham County (3) and Gwinnett County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Travis County | Texas | 20 | 2.9% |
| 2 | Blount County | Alabama | 19 | 2.7% |
| 3 | Tompkins County | New York | 19 | 2.7% |
| 4 | Orange County | North Carolina | 19 | 2.7% |
| 5 | Mahoning County | Ohio | 14 | 2.0% |
| 6 | Alachua County | Florida | 13 | 1.9% |
| 7 | Collier County | Florida | 11 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Hidalgo County | Texas | 11 | 1.6% |
| 9 | Cook County | Illinois | 9 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Onondaga County | New York | 9 | 1.3% |
| 11 | Franklin County | Ohio | 9 | 1.3% |
| 12 | Jefferson County | Alabama | 8 | 1.1% |
| 13 | Clarke County | Georgia | 8 | 1.1% |
| 14 | Fort Bend County | Texas | 8 | 1.1% |
| 15 | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama | 7 | 1.0% |
How recent are the tuftlegged orbweaver records?
Most of what is known about the tuftlegged orbweaver is recent: 88% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1953; the busiest year was 2024, with 135 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1970s | 4 | 0.6% |
| 1980s | 9 | 1.3% |
| 1990s | 8 | 1.1% |
| 2000s | 2 | 0.3% |
| 2010s | 109 | 15.4% |
| 2020s | 575 | 81.2% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 109 counties where the tuftlegged orbweaver is most recorded, 56 are also top counties for each of the first three spiders in the table below; no other spider shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 56 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 56 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 56 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 55 |
| Spined micrathena | 49 |
| Sylvan jumping spider | 49 |
| Nursery web spider | 48 |
| Bold jumper | 47 |
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.