Butterfly orbweaver (Araneus pegnia)
The butterfly orbweaver is a spider in the family Araneidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 352 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 26 states, most of all Texas (71), Maryland (48) and Virginia (46). Its observation records peak in August.
Araneus pegnia is a species of orb weaver in the spider family Araneidae. It is found in a range from the United States to Ecuador and Jamaica.
From Wikipedia: Araneus pegnia, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the butterfly orbweaver poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the butterfly 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 butterfly orbweaver?
Records are spread over 26 states; the top three, Texas, Maryland and Virginia, hold 47% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas | 71 | 0.2% | 79th of 386 |
| 2 | Maryland | 48 | 0.8% | 34th of 153 |
| 3 | Virginia | 46 | 0.4% | 54th of 176 |
| 4 | Delaware | 40 | 1.9% | 14th of 71 |
| 5 | Ohio | 24 | 0.3% | 60th of 332 |
| 6 | North Carolina | 18 | 0.2% | 71st of 184 |
| 7 | California | 12 | 0.0% | 207th of 309 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 12 | 0.2% | 77th of 164 |
| 9 | Florida | 11 | 0.1% | 135th of 237 |
| 10 | Louisiana | 8 | 0.2% | 67th of 107 |
| 11 | New York | 8 | 0.1% | 84th of 149 |
| 12 | Arkansas | 7 | 0.4% | 52nd of 114 |
| 13 | Illinois | 7 | 0.0% | 213th of 243 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 6 | 0.2% | 83rd of 138 |
| 15 | Indiana | 5 | 0.1% | 114th of 133 |
| 16 | Alabama | 4 | 0.1% | 93rd of 143 |
| 17 | Missouri | 4 | 0.2% | 69th of 117 |
| 18 | New Jersey | 4 | 0.2% | 90th of 127 |
| 19 | Georgia | 3 | 0.0% | 136th of 186 |
| 20 | Connecticut | 2 | 0.2% | 60th of 86 |
| 21 | Mississippi | 2 | 0.1% | 82nd of 117 |
| 22 | South Carolina | 2 | 0.1% | 94th of 121 |
| 23 | Kansas | 1 | 0.1% | 80th of 94 |
| 24 | Oklahoma | 1 | 0.0% | 138th of 149 |
| 25 | West Virginia | 1 | 0.1% | 57th of 90 |
| 26 | Michigan | 0 | — | — |
When is the butterfly orbweaver seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the butterfly orbweaver run mostly May through November, peaking in August with 29% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 3% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in April (Texas) and latest in July (Delaware). The most common peak month is August, shared by Maryland and Virginia.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | April through November | October | 66 |
| Maryland | June through September | August | 48 |
| Virginia | June through November | August | 46 |
| Delaware | July through November | July | 40 |
Where the butterfly orbweaver is recorded in each state
Texas
Texas holds 71 licensed records, the 79th most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly April through November, peaking in October; most licensed records come from Hidalgo County, Travis County and Fort Bend County. Next come Bexar County (3) and Dallas County (3).
Maryland
Maryland holds 48 licensed records, the joint 34th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Maryland run mostly June through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Baltimore County, Howard County and Harford County. Next come Montgomery County (7) and Frederick County (3).
Virginia
Virginia holds 46 licensed records, the joint 54th most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly June through November, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Fairfax County, Prince William County and Fairfax City County. Next come Montgomery County (3) and Powhatan County (3).
Delaware
Delaware holds 40 licensed records, the 14th most recorded of 71 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Delaware run mostly July through November, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Sussex County and New Castle County.
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sussex County | Delaware | 39 | 11.1% |
| 2 | Hidalgo County | Texas | 33 | 9.4% |
| 3 | Fairfax County | Virginia | 20 | 5.7% |
| 4 | Travis County | Texas | 13 | 3.7% |
| 5 | Baltimore County | Maryland | 11 | 3.1% |
| 6 | Howard County | Maryland | 10 | 2.8% |
| 7 | Harford County | Maryland | 8 | 2.3% |
| 8 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 7 | 2.0% |
| 9 | Prince William County | Virginia | 7 | 2.0% |
| 10 | Fairfax City County | Virginia | 7 | 2.0% |
| 11 | Fort Bend County | Texas | 5 | 1.4% |
| 12 | Frederick County | Maryland | 3 | 0.9% |
| 13 | Bexar County | Texas | 3 | 0.9% |
| 14 | Dallas County | Texas | 3 | 0.9% |
| 15 | Montgomery County | Virginia | 3 | 0.9% |
How recent are the butterfly orbweaver records?
Most of what is known about the butterfly orbweaver is recent: 93% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1997; the busiest year was 2022, with 59 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 1 | 0.3% |
| 2000s | 6 | 1.6% |
| 2010s | 61 | 16.4% |
| 2020s | 304 | 81.7% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 38 counties where the butterfly orbweaver is most recorded, 27 are also top counties for the familiar jumping spider, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Familiar jumping spider | 27 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 26 |
| Bold jumper | 26 |
| Nursery web spider | 25 |
| Spotted orbweaver | 25 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 24 |
| Parson spider | 24 |
| Arabesque orbweaver | 23 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other species of the genus Araneus with profiles here: Garden spider, Marbled orbweaver, Giant lichen orbweaver and Shamrock orbweaver.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.