A Conical Trashline Orbweaver with assorted prey in Elkridge, Maryland (5/11/2013).

Photo by Bonnie Ott MBP List

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Dorchester Co., Maryland (4/30/2015). Determined by John and Jane Balaban/BugGuide.

View Record Details Photo by Jonathan Willey MBP List

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Talbot Co., Maryland (5/16/2015). Verified by Lynette/BugGuide.

View Record Details Photo by Judy Gallagher MBP List

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/30/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Jesse Christopherson MBP List

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Harford Co., Maryland (9/28/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Joshua Jones MBP List

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Howard Co., Maryland (4/26/2019). Determined by Chad Heins/BugGuide.

View Record Details Photo by Bonnie Ott MBP List

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Howard Co., Maryland (9/29/2014).

View Record Details Photo by Richard Orr MBP List

A female Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/19/2015).

View Record Details Photo by Steve Scholnick MBP List

Map Snapshot

10 Records

GA AL WA FR CL MO HO BA BC HA CE PG AA CV CH SM KE QA CN TA DO WI SO WO

Description

This species' webs can often be recognized because the spider will collect the remains of past meals and unite them in a long vertical hanging mass within the web--the trashline. The spider itself is often more difficult to find. Check the trashline itself and the spider may well be there. (R. Orr, pers. comm.)

Seasonality Snapshot

Resources

View at iNaturalist View at Nature Serve Search Google Images Search MBP Facebook posts

View images at BugGuide

Use of media featured on Maryland Biodiversity Project is only permitted with express permission of the photographer.

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver with assorted prey in Elkridge, Maryland (5/11/2013). Media by Bonnie Ott.

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Dorchester Co., Maryland (4/30/2015). Determined by John and Jane Balaban/BugGuide. View Record Details Media by Jonathan Willey.

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Talbot Co., Maryland (5/16/2015). Verified by Lynette/BugGuide. View Record Details Media by Judy Gallagher.

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Prince George's Co., Maryland (7/30/2014). View Record Details Media by Jesse Christopherson.

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Harford Co., Maryland (9/28/2014). View Record Details Media by Joshua Jones.

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Howard Co., Maryland (4/26/2019). Determined by Chad Heins/BugGuide. View Record Details Media by Bonnie Ott.

A Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Howard Co., Maryland (9/29/2014). View Record Details Media by Richard Orr.

A female Conical Trashline Orbweaver in Montgomery Co., Maryland (7/19/2015). View Record Details Media by Steve Scholnick.

Source: Wikipedia

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Cyclosa conica

Female spiderling
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Araneidae
Genus:	Cyclosa
Species:	C. conica
Binomial name
*Cyclosa conica* Pallas, 1772

Synonyms
Aranea conica Aranea triquetra Epeira conica Singa conica Epeira canadensis Cyrtophora conica Cyclosa strandjae

Cyclosa conica is a small spider with no common name. It is an orb weaver, and it is easily recognized by the way it strings together the dead bodies of insects and other debris and hangs it near the center of its web. It hides on this string of debris, and its natural coloration makes it extremely difficult to see until it moves. One of its defenses against predators is to blend in with this debris and to feign death when disturbed. These spiders are small; the females range from 5.3 mm to 7.5 mm, and the males range from 3.6 mm to 4 mm.

The webs of these spiders are characterized by a vertical stripe running down the center. This stripe, or stabilimentum, is composed of dead prey and other debris and is used as a hiding place for the spider. The material in the stabilimentum may also serve as a decoy to mislead predators into attacking the debris, giving the spider time to escape.