Bug FAQBlack-and-white Spiny Spider
Gasteracantha kuhli · Order: Araneae · Family: Araneidae
Female black-and-white spiny spiders are about 6 to 9 mm wide, while males are only 3 to 4 mm across. Their abdomen is pale with dark markings, often showing a cross-shaped pattern in the centre. They spin orb webs in open forest and shrub habitats across a range from India to Japan and the Philippines.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Females measure about 6 to 9 mm across, whereas males are considerably smaller at 3 to 4 mm.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
This spider builds its orb web in open forest clearings and shrubby areas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It waits in the centre of its web to catch passing prey.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is widespread from India through Japan, the Philippines and Java in Indonesia.
Source: Wikipedia
More photos
Questions people ask
How can I recognize this spider?
Look for a pale abdomen with dark spots and a characteristic dark cross-shaped mark on the dorsal surface.
Source: Wikipedia
What does the spider eat?
It sits in the centre of its orb web and captures prey that blunder into the silk.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Araneidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gasteracantha_kuhli
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-24 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.