Orchard Orbweaver Spider

July 6, 2026

Sample information
Picture
Entry by: Anna C
Location
Collection date 07/27/2026
Captive / Cultivated? Captive / Cultivated
Group Scientists in Residence
Observations

This was a lone spider that was found on its web inside a bush of the PSU Millennium Science Complex Garden. It was collected at 1:57 PM on July 27th using a branch and was then quickly transferred to a collection vial. There was no wind and a mix of clouds and sun, with a temperature in the mid 70s. It is likely an orchard orbweaver spider.
Putative identification Arthropoda Arachnida Araneae Tetragnathidae Leucauge Leucauge venusta

Methods
Extraction kit Qiagen DNeasy Blood and Tissue Kit
DNA extraction location Body without legs
Single or Duplex PCR Single Reaction
Gel electrophoresis system MiniOne
Buffer 1X TBE
DNA stain GelGreen
Gel images
Protocol notes

Results
Wolbachia presence Yes
Confidence level High
Explanation of confidence level

The DNA extraction was successful because the arthropod COI amplified. Both (+) and (-) controls worked. The Wolbachia 16S rRNA band was present.

Sanger sequencing further classified this ant as the orchard orbweaver spider, Leucauge venusta, with 100% identity.

All of my controls worked as expected. I did not have any problems with the protocol, and I was not surprised by any bands, or lack thereof, on the gel. Therefore, I am confident my arthropod is infected with Wolbachia.
Wolbachia 16S sequence Download FASTA    Download AB1
TTGAGCTGGNATAGTTGGAACATCTTTAAGAATTTTAATTCGAGCTGAATTAGGACATCCTGGAGCATTAATTGGAGATGATCAAATTTATAATGTAATTGTAACTGCACATGCTTTTATTATAATTTTTTTTATAGTTATACCTATTATAATTGGTGGATTTGGAAATTGATTAGTGCCTTTAATATTAGGTGCTCCTGATATAGCATTCCCACGAATAAATAATATAAGATTTTGACTTCTACCTCCTGCTCTTTCTTTACTATTAGTAAGTAGAATAGTTGAAAATGGAGCTGGGACAGGATGAACTGTTTATCCACCTCTATCCGCTGGAATTGCTCATGGTGGAGCTTCAGTTGATTTAGCTATTTTTTCTCTACATTTAGCAGGAATTTCTTCAATTTTAGGAGCTGTAAATTTTATTACAACTGTAATTAATATACGATCAACAGGAATTTCATTAGATCGTATACCTTTATTTGTTTGATCAGTAGTTATTACTGCTTTATTATTATTATTATCACTTCCAGTACTAGCAGGAGCTATTACTATATTATTAACAGATCGAAATTTAAATACATCATTTTTTGACCCAGCGGGAGGAGGAGATCCTATTTTATACCAACATTTATTTTGATTTTTTGGNC
BLAST at The Wolbachia Project   BLAST at NCBI
Arthropod COI sequence Download FASTA    Download AB1
TNTTTGGTGCTTGGGCTTCATAGTAGGGACAGCTATAAGTGTGCTAATTCGGATTGAGTTAGGTCAATCGGGAAGATTTTTAGGCGATGATCAATTGTATAATGTGATTGTAACAGCTCATGCTTTTATTATAATTTTTTTTATAGTTATACCTATTTTAATTGGGGGATTTGGAAATTGATTGGTTCCTTTAATATTAGGGGCTCCTGATATGGCTTTTCCTCGGATAAATAATTTAAGTTTCTGACTATTACCTCCTTCACTCTTTTTATTATTTATTTCTTCAATGGTAGATATAGGAGTGGGGGCTGGGTGAACTGTATACCCTCCTTTAGCTTCTTTAGAAGGGCATTCTGGTAGTTCTATGGATTTTGCTATTTTTTCTCTTCATTTAGCTGGGGCTTCTTCTATTATAGGGGCTATTAATTTTATTTCTACTATTTTTAATATACGGGTAAATGGAATAAGAATAGAAAAAGTTCCTTTATTTGTTTGATCTGTGTTAATTACAGCTGTTTTATTATTATTATCGCTCCCGGTTTTAGCAGGGGCGATTACTATATTGTTAACAGATCGTAATTTTAATACTTCTTTTTTTGATCCTTCTGGAGGAGGGGATCCAGTTCTTTTTCAACATTTATTTTGA
BLAST at The Wolbachia Project   BLAST at NCBI
Summary The Leucauge venusta was found to be postive for Wolbachia.
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