#4414 · 🕷️ spiders & kin
Spined Micrathena
Micrathena gracilis
7 photos from iNaturalist (Creative Commons) · credits & licences
what is it?
Micrathena gracilis is a spider in the family Araneidae (orb-weavers), commonly known as the spined micrathena . 81 in) or more across), very tightly coiled web, often in wooded or brushy areas. It is completely harmless to humans.
base stats
Bars compare against all animals on log scales: up to 300,000 Dutch and 600,000 worldwide sightings (the most-seen species), 150 t (blue whale), 30 m and 400 years (Greenland shark).
fun facts
- No confirmed wild sightings in the Netherlands on iNaturalist: you'd have to travel for this one.
- 25,083 observations worldwide on iNaturalist.
- Scientifically named by Charles Athanase Walckenaer in 1842 (184 years ago).
fact sheet
- English
- Spined Micrathena
- scientific name
- Micrathena gracilis
- class
- Arachnida
- order
- Araneae
- family
- Araneidae
- sightings in NL
- 0
- sightings worldwide
- 25,083
- GBIF records in NL
- 0
- weight
- —
- length
- —
- lifespan
- —
- named
- 1842 by Charles Athanase Walckenaer
relatives· Araneidae
#4186 📷 8Cross Orbweaver
🇳🇱 Kruisspin
Araneus diadematus
👀 2.9k in NL
#4190 📷 10Wasp Spider
🇳🇱 Wespenspin
Argiope bruennichi
👀 1.1k in NL
#4192 📷 9Grey Cross Spider
🇳🇱 Brugspin
Larinioides sclopetarius
👀 644 in NL
#4194 📷 10Walnut Orbweaver
🇳🇱 Platte wielwebspin
Nuctenea umbratica
👀 532 in NL
#4208 📷 7Cricket-bat Orbweaver
🇳🇱 Driestreepspin
Mangora acalypha
👀 179 in NL
#4211 📷 10Zilla Orbweaver
🇳🇱 Maskerspinnetje
Zilla diodia
👀 145 in NL
#4212 📷 10Furrow Orbweaver
🇳🇱 Rietkruisspin
Larinioides cornutus
👀 130 in NL
#4215 📷 10Gorse Orbweaver
🇳🇱 Brede wielwebspin
Agalenatea redii
👀 109 in NL
Sources: iNaturalist taxon 85333, Wikidata Q2380631, GBIF 2159593, Wikipedia (EN), Wikipedia (NL). Intro text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.