Tropical Tent-web Spider

Cyrtophora citricola occurs in various colors and may have different colored spots on the abdomen. The spider is sexually dimorphic. Females may reach 10 millimetres (0.39 in) long and are larger than their male counterparts who are usually 3 millimetres (0.12 in) long. C. citricola's legs are different lengths with legs I and II being the longest. In Florida, male spiders are black, while females can change the color of their abdomens to match their surroundings and can camouflage in their webs. The females have white trichobothria. In Turkey, they usually appear brown with grey hair. C. citricola has a distinctive horizontal bifurcation at the posterior abdomen. C. citricola is different from its other relatives because it has two pairs of dorsal tubercles and a pair of posterior tubercles. C. citricola typically has seven denticles. The opisthosoma has two dorsal pairs of protuberances and two posterior lobes. C. citricola has two rows of eyes. The largest eyes are the two median eyes in the anterior row. In some places, C. citricola may be confused with Mecynogea lemniscata.

Cyrtophora citricola is found in Asia, Africa, Australia, Costa Rica, Hispaniola, Colombia, and Southern Europe. The species is unable to survive in temperatures below -1 °C (30.2 °F). C. citricola was also discovered in Florida in 2000 and it makes its webs on canal bridges from the east end of Everglades National Park to the east coast. The spider lives in a wide range of environments, but it is most prevalent in olive orchards and undergrowth. C. citricola is also found in tropical agricultural operations. C. citricola can be found globally, unlike its close relatives that are concentrated in specific parts of the world. C. citricola's global presence may be a problem as seen in the Americas. The spider is becoming common in agricultural and urban spaces. It is damaging farm operations. Currently, there are active efforts to remove the spider as its web is known to damage flora. C. citricola exhibits thermoregulative behaviors. This trait is common in web-building spiders, including Nephila clavipes, N. maculata, and Frontinella communis. During the hottest portions of the day, the spider will position themselves so that as little surface area of their body is shown to the sun as possible.

C. citricola is active from the middle of summer to the beginning of fall and adults mate between June and September. Adult male spiders look for females. These spiders exhibit sexual cannibalism at high rates. Female spiders will often eat males after mating. Females cannibalize males after most successful copulations, up to 100% of the time. Spider age and feeding state have no effect on whether the male will be cannibalized. This sexual cannibalism encourages males to be choosy when picking a female mate. Males prefer to mate younger, well-fed, and virgin females. Females are not as choosy in their male mates, but may prefer well-fed and older males. About 50% of females re-mate within ten days after their first copulation. Sexual cannibalism forces monogamy on the male spiders. The female begins the mating process. Females traditionally approach the male until they are 1 cm from the male. At this point, the male advances quickly towards the female and tries to insert his pedipalp. If successful, copulation begins and lasts for a few seconds. This is the stage at which copulation most often fails. Unlike other cannibalizing spiders, the male C. citricola does not somersault into the female's chelicerae. The female bends her cephalothorax and orients herself to attack the male's abdomen while the pedipalp is in the female. …

Ornamental trees, fruit trees, and various flowering plants in the genus Eugenia including E. coronata, have high concentrations of Cyrtophora citricola. These plants and trees may experience incomplete death when C. citricola's webs span over their leaves. This may be due to the thickness of the webs that can restrict airflow to the leaves. As a result, some authorities have opted to use high-pressure water sprayers and chemical controls to exterminate colonies. C. citricola is problematic for many agricultural operations in South America, including coffee and citrus plantations. It is listed as an important agricultural pest in the Dominican Republic due to its devastating impact on citrus trees. Additionally, it is increasingly common in the Southern states of North America. In Florida, the spider has become a common backyard nuisance.