Shorthorn Kitespider

Gasteracantha sanguinolenta is known throughout Africa, and also occurs in São Tomé, Yemen (Socotra), and the Seychelles. In South Africa, the species occurs in eight of the nine provinces across a very large geographical range at altitudes from 6 to 1,556 m above sea level, where it has been recorded from Eastern Cape, Free State, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North West, and Western Cape provinces. It occurs in numerous localities including Addo Elephant National Park, Roodeplaatdam Nature Reserve, Kruger National Park, and Table Mountain National Park.

Gasteracantha sanguinolenta is an orb-web dweller commonly found in warmer tropical regions. The orb-webs are usually constructed high in trees or tall shrubs above the observer's eye level. The bridge line is frequently longer than the orb part, giving the impression that the spider is floating in space. The web is sometimes decorated with tufts of silk. The spiders are active during the day and do not remove their webs. The species has been sampled from all floral biomes except the Nama and Succulent Karoo biomes.