The beautiful and often colorful Spiny Orb Weaver, known by it’s scientific name Gasteracantha Canciformis, is found all over the North American Eastern Seaboard and California. One spider in the broader orb weaver family is better remembered and romanticized in the childhood story Charlotte’s Web. Because of it’s bulky and spiny body, it is often called a crab spider, although that name has actually refers to a completely different spider. Don’t let those sharp edges fool you though, Spiny Orb Weavers are relatively harmless and helpful to have in a garden because they eat insects that we too often complain about. Currently these spiders are seen in The Cummer Gardens, and more often than not, they are so friendly that they will even pose for a picture!
