Spider webs
 

We found a spider and it's web out side our garage last night. The web disappeared today and is back again tonight.

It's a good sized spider, probably as big as a nickle. The web is the really cool part. The main part of the web is secured to the overhang of the house and the other end is secured to the ground about 7 feet down. It is attached to the ground by one strand and to that one strand about 3 feet up it branches out to three strand which then branch out to the main web.

I do not know jack about architecture but this looks like a pretty impressive web. If it is there in the morning I will try and get a picture of it.

Nature is a pretty impressive and spider webs have always impressed me.

spiders are cool. I remember a real big orb web spider took residence on the side of my parents house once. i would catch a grasshopper and throw it in the web and that spider would rap that thing up so fast it was unbelievable

I agree. What really intrigues me is how they can possibly build those webs. How do they get a strand to go horizontal without being able to propel their butts without some sort of external locomotion?

I am on a mission to wipe out the little buggers inside the garage that make tiny cobwebs over everything, even overnight. They drive me nuts.

The web is still there but there is not enough contrast to get a good picture. Taking a closer look during the day it is even more impressive. In order for it to make the anchor line to the concrete it had to be on the over hang above it which is about 7 feet. It shot a single stand of silk straight down. So the air had to be perfectly still and even then it would have been fluttering I would think. Then it had to link some additional lines to stabilize the rest of the structure to this one anchor line.

As far as structures built by animals I cannot think of another that come close to a spider web. Beaver damns are impressive for their strength but lack the elegance of a web, same for bird nests (although the hanging ones can be pretty cool). Tunnel structures can be complex but again lack the elegance in my opinion. I say that spiders win.

I am thinking about taking this web down and see if it will build another one. This web is pretty trashed from the wind and a few catches so I get the feeling it needs a over haul any way. May be I can watch it being built this time.

Sounds like you have a variety of Orb Weaver. They're known for impressive webs, and known for taking them down each day and putting them back up. If I recall, they do this by basically eating the old web, in essence, recycling it. Might not be a good idea to tear it down on your own, as it may leave your spider short on raw materials to build another.

MV

OK, web stays. I hope I get to see it build another one. I looked at pictures of Orb Spiders and it could be. The one we have looks mostly brown with a big abdomen.

Sounds like a typical garden spider, body style similar to a Black Widow, large round abdomen, slender legs, smooth not hairy. Some have some pretty neat patterns on their bodies, and they'll hold still in the middle of their web for you to see them. If they set up home in an out of the way space, we tend to leave them be. They can be fascinating to watch. We'll get worried if we don't see her (the ones you see are typically the females, the males are smaller and not as active) for a few days, then she'll come back and build a new web all over again.

MV

Ive got one I feed once a week hanging out off the frt porch ,it wont build a web till he or she is hungry ,1/2 dollar size and getting bigger.Alot of june bugs hang out by the frt light and after I get one and toss it on the web it begins the job of wrapping it like a pillow.It took its time in snacking and seemed to play with its food with its frt legs as I watched across the lite pattern of light coming across its web.The spider really hates direct light from a hand held led flashlight I pointed one night while eating another bigger spider ,it seems like this one has a turf thing going ,a real lion in a spiders world.I usually spray or sweep down aweb but this one had me interested the first time I witness it a work building its fishing net .

Wolf Spider
 

Here is a pic I took a few years ago of a Large spider which I happened to spot on our porch screen. He/she cooperated enough to let me put a ruler next to him in the photo. The wing span exceeded 3" on this fellow. After I found him I did a bit of research and determined that it was a wolf spider.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D, 372K

A spider that big would make me chit my pants. :eek::D

Be careful:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/open-discussion/150422-brown-recluse-spider-bite.html

we currently have a 4' tall Golden orb weaver web. it's quite impressive. I half expect to see a bird in it's web... when it's out on the web I'll try and take a picture of it.. it's the size of a fist.... I hate spiders...

I like watching spiders spin webs. Analyzing how they made some of the runs from my car antenna to the side of the house to the satellite dish. From an insect the size of a pea.

they are impressive creatures for sure, Some spiders silk the army investigated or is investigating for bullet proofing some of it is pretty darn strong