Bowl and doily spider (Frontinella pyramitela)
The bowl and doily spider is a spider in the family Linyphiidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 857 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 38 states, most of all Ohio (98), California (78) and Pennsylvania (65). Its observation records peak in April.
The bowl and doily spider (Frontinella pyramitela) is a species of sheet weaver found in North and Central America. It is a small spider, about 4 mm (0.16 in) long, that weaves a fairly complex and unique sheet web system consisting of an inverted dome shaped web, or "bowl," suspended above a horizontal sheet web, or "doily", hence its common name. The spider hangs from the underside of the "bowl", and bites through the web small flies, gnats and other small insects that fall down into the non-sticky webbing.
From Wikipedia: Bowl and doily spider, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the bowl and doily spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the bowl and doily spider (family Linyphiidae) 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 bowl and doily spider?
Records are spread over 38 states; the top three, Ohio, California and Pennsylvania, hold 28% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | 98 | 1.4% | 18th of 332 |
| 2 | California | 78 | 0.2% | 72nd of 309 |
| 3 | Pennsylvania | 65 | 0.9% | 23rd of 164 |
| 4 | Virginia | 65 | 0.6% | 41st of 176 |
| 5 | Maryland | 50 | 0.9% | 32nd of 153 |
| 6 | Florida | 41 | 0.3% | 45th of 237 |
| 7 | Alabama | 39 | 1.1% | 21st of 143 |
| 8 | Texas | 35 | 0.1% | 122nd of 386 |
| 9 | North Carolina | 33 | 0.4% | 57th of 184 |
| 10 | Tennessee | 30 | 0.8% | 34th of 138 |
| 11 | Kentucky | 28 | 1.5% | 18th of 103 |
| 12 | Illinois | 26 | 0.1% | 101st of 243 |
| 13 | New York | 26 | 0.4% | 48th of 149 |
| 14 | Georgia | 20 | 0.3% | 65th of 186 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | 19 | 0.4% | 57th of 149 |
| 16 | Kansas | 16 | 1.0% | 21st of 94 |
| 17 | Michigan | 16 | 0.7% | 32nd of 122 |
| 18 | Indiana | 15 | 0.3% | 59th of 133 |
| 19 | Louisiana | 14 | 0.3% | 48th of 107 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | 14 | 0.3% | 60th of 189 |
| 21 | New Jersey | 14 | 0.6% | 42nd of 127 |
| 22 | Delaware | 12 | 0.6% | 41st of 71 |
| 23 | Missouri | 11 | 0.5% | 44th of 117 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 11 | 0.5% | 45th of 121 |
| 25 | Arizona | 10 | 0.2% | 49th of 162 |
| 26 | Arkansas | 9 | 0.6% | 46th of 114 |
| 27 | Minnesota | 9 | 0.3% | 60th of 145 |
| 28 | Colorado | 8 | 0.2% | 44th of 378 |
| 29 | Mississippi | 6 | 0.4% | 44th of 117 |
| 30 | Nebraska | 6 | 0.5% | 42nd of 71 |
| 31 | Iowa | 5 | 0.7% | 22nd of 57 |
| 32 | New Mexico | 5 | 0.2% | 84th of 247 |
| 33 | Wisconsin | 4 | 0.1% | 108th of 149 |
| 34 | Connecticut | 3 | 0.3% | 49th of 86 |
| 35 | Maine | 3 | 0.3% | 41st of 297 |
| 36 | Vermont | 3 | 0.2% | 46th of 74 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | 2 | 0.1% | 61st of 72 |
| 38 | West Virginia | 2 | 0.3% | 48th of 90 |
When is the bowl and doily spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the bowl and doily spider run mostly March through October, peaking in April with 23% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 6% of them.
Season by state
Observation records run through most of the year in California and Florida. Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in February (North Carolina) and latest in April (Maryland and Pennsylvania). The most common peak month is April, shared by Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | March through October | April | 98 |
| California | most of the year | March | 71 |
| Virginia | March through October | April | 64 |
| Pennsylvania | April through October | April | 63 |
| Maryland | April through September | April | 50 |
| Alabama | March through October | August | 39 |
| Florida | most of the year | February | 38 |
| Texas | March through October | March | 34 |
| North Carolina | February through September | April | 31 |
Where the bowl and doily spider is recorded in each state
Ohio
Ohio holds 98 licensed records, the 18th most recorded of 332 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Ohio run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Richland County, Mahoning County and Franklin County. Next come Hamilton County (8) and Summit County (8).
California
California holds 78 licensed records, the joint 72nd most recorded of 309 spiders listed there. Its observation records in California run through most of the year, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Santa Barbara County, San Diego County and Santa Clara County. Next come Sacramento County (4) and Ventura County (4).
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania holds 65 licensed records, the 23rd most recorded of 164 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Pennsylvania run mostly April through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Allegheny County, Bucks County and Westmoreland County. Next come Philadelphia County (4) and Chester County (3).
Virginia
Virginia holds 65 licensed records, the 41st most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Prince William County and Hanover County. Next come Arlington County (4) and Powhatan County (4).
Maryland
Maryland holds 50 licensed records, the 32nd most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly April through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Montgomery County, Howard County and Frederick County. Next come Baltimore County (4) and Harford County (3).
Florida
Florida holds 41 licensed records, the joint 45th most recorded of 237 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Florida run through most of the year, peaking in February; most licensed records come from Orange County, Alachua County and Sarasota County. Next come Santa Rosa County (3) and Escambia County (2).
Alabama
Alabama holds 39 licensed records, the 21st most recorded of 143 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Alabama run mostly March through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Blount County, Limestone County and Jefferson County. Next come Tuscaloosa County (4) and Mobile County (3).
Texas
Texas holds 35 licensed records, the joint 122nd most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through October, peaking in March; most licensed records come from Tarrant County, Dallas County and Hardin County. Next come Harris County (2) and Kaufman County (2).
North Carolina
North Carolina holds 33 licensed records, the 57th most recorded of 184 spiders listed there. Its observation records in North Carolina run mostly February through September, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Orange County, Macon County and Davie County. Next come Mecklenburg County (3) and Durham County (2).
Tennessee
Tennessee holds 30 licensed records, the joint 34th most recorded of 138 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Tennessee come from Knox County, Bradley County and Washington County. Next come Hamilton County (2) and Montgomery County (2).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Barbara County | California | 46 | 5.4% |
| 2 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 24 | 2.8% |
| 3 | Richland County | Ohio | 20 | 2.3% |
| 4 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 18 | 2.1% |
| 5 | Mahoning County | Ohio | 16 | 1.9% |
| 6 | Allegheny County | Pennsylvania | 16 | 1.9% |
| 7 | Franklin County | Ohio | 14 | 1.6% |
| 8 | Orange County | Florida | 12 | 1.4% |
| 9 | Orange County | North Carolina | 11 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Bucks County | Pennsylvania | 11 | 1.3% |
| 11 | Prince William County | Virginia | 10 | 1.2% |
| 12 | Blount County | Alabama | 9 | 1.1% |
| 13 | Hamilton County | Ohio | 8 | 0.9% |
| 14 | Summit County | Ohio | 8 | 0.9% |
| 15 | Knox County | Tennessee | 8 | 0.9% |
How recent are the bowl and doily spider records?
Most of what is known about the bowl and doily spider is recent: 87% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2023 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1897; the busiest year was 2024, with 155 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1890s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1920s | 8 | 0.9% |
| 1930s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1940s | 3 | 0.3% |
| 1950s | 2 | 0.2% |
| 1960s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1970s | 7 | 0.8% |
| 1980s | 7 | 0.8% |
| 1990s | 9 | 1.0% |
| 2000s | 7 | 0.8% |
| 2010s | 170 | 19.1% |
| 2020s | 673 | 75.7% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 140 counties where the bowl and doily spider is most recorded, 82 are also top counties for the black-and-yellow argiope, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 82 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 80 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 78 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 76 |
| Sylvan jumping spider | 75 |
| Nursery web spider | 72 |
| Rabid wolf spider | 69 |
| Arabesque orbweaver | 68 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Linyphiidae with profiles here: Filmy dome spider and Pale sheetweb weaver.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.