Summary details for Araneus quadratus Clerck, 1757

Species Details

Species name: Araneus quadratus Clerck, 1757
Synonyms: Aranea reaumuri, Araneus quadrata Scopoli, 1763
Taxonomy: Animalia :: Araneae :: Araneidae

Distribution

The species is widespread but patchily distributed throughout Britain. It is widespread in western and central Europe.

Habitat and ecology

The spider is found on vegetation which has sufficient height and strength to support the large orb web, such as undisturbed grassland, heather and gorse. There may be a preference for damper situations. The web is usually found stretched across the gap between plants, with a large tent-like retreat at one side, where the spider can be found if not in the centre of the web. This very variably-coloured spider holds the British weight record. Adults are found in late summer and autumn, with a male peak in August and female peak between August and October.

Status

Locally common, although Crocker & Daws (1996) suggest that it may be declining. This may be due to loss of suitable habitat. Original author of profile: W.J. Partridge

Stats

First recorded: 1862
Last recorded: 2025
Total records: 5,027
Total visits: 4,935

Conservation status

Araneus quadratus

Source	Reporting category	Designation	Date designated	Comments
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)	Red listing based on 2001 IUCN guidelines	Least concern	01/09/2017

Photos and media

Spatial distribution - hectad map

Click on one of the date ranges in the key to highlight that particular range. Click anywhere else on the map to go back to all three date ranges.

Thresholds:

Move mouse cursor over dot for info

Rejected records are excluded from this map. Unverified records are included.

Temporal distribution - records by year

Records that span more than one year are not included in this chart.