When you think of Halloween decorations, giant spider webs are probably near the top of the list. They are among the most common elements people use to set a scary scene. They’re patterned after the real-life webs created by orb weavers, a spider group best known for their elaborate webs.
This group includes a large number of species. About 180 different types orb weavers live in North America.
Like all spiders, orb weavers have a cephalothorax (a head and thorax that are fused together), abdomen, eight legs and fang-like mouthparts. Many feature brightly colored bodies with hairy or spiny legs, and a relatively large abdomen.
Orb weavers are typically nocturnal. These species build or repair their webs at night. A few kinds, however, prefer to work during the day. These are usually the most colorful types. Some even tear down and consume much of the web’s silk as dawn breaks! They do this to take in moisture from dew that collected on the threads overnight. An upside of this practice is that it can prevent animals, birds, and you from getting caught in the web.
These spiders are not hunters or wanderers. They prefer to set the trap and wait for prey to become tangled in their web. While waiting they’ll sit somewhere on their web or move to the side. When their prey, often an insect, is trapped, they feel a vibration on the trap line. When this happens the spider springs into action, rushing across the web to bite and paralyze their prey. Often they wrap it in silk for later consumption. Should something become trapped that doesn’t belong…perhaps a leave or grass clipping…the spider ignores it, or removes the object before returning to its hiding place.
Orb Weavers are considered beneficial spiders. They help control insect populations, including flies, moths, beetles, wasps and mosquitoes. Some larger species are known to trap and eat small frogs and hummingbirds caught in their webs. Because of their hunting practices, these spiders tend to inhabit locations where there is abundant prey and structures that can support their web. You can often find them around walls, night-lights, tree branches, tall grass, weeds, fences, and bushes.
You shouldn’t worry about being bitten by spiders of this type as they’re not considered poisonous to humans. They can be a nuisance should an orb weaver decide to set up shop in an area with a lot of foot traffic! This could be a problem for anyone, but especially for a person affected by arachnophobia, the extreme fear of spiders.
While they’re rather benign, orb weavers can cause problems if a lot of them settle on your property. If you need assistance controlling them, or any other kind of spider, call or text us. We’ll be glad to help!
