Orb-weaver spider

Some spiders build round webs.

These spiders live in forests and gardens. They use silk to make a frame first. Then they add a sticky spiral. This sticky part catches insects.

The spider uses a quick bite to stun its food. Many of these spiders hide during the day. They are more active in the evening. They may even eat their old web. Then they spin a new one in the same spot.

These spiders are very good at building homes.

Orb-weaver spiders are famous for their round webs.

The name "orb" means circular. These spiders live in many places like gardens and forests. They belong to a very large spider family. There are almost 5,000 different types of these spiders in the world.

Building a web is a big job. First, the spider lets a silk line float on the wind. It catches the line on a surface. Then, it makes a shape like the letter Y. The spider builds a frame of silk that is not sticky. After that, it adds a final spiral. This spiral has sticky droplets to catch bugs.

The spider uses a third claw to walk on the nonsticky parts. When a bug hits the sticky silk, the spider bites it.

Many orb-weavers are active in the evening. They hide during the day. At night, they may eat their old web. Then they spin a new one in the same spot.

Some spiders even have a thick band of silk in the web. This is called a stabilimentum. It might help hide the web or warn birds to stay away.

Orb-weaver spiders belong to a large family called Araneidae. They are famous for building round, wheel-shaped webs. You can find these webs in many places like gardens, fields, or forests.

The word "orb" actually means circular. This family is one of the largest groups of spiders in the world. There are almost 5,000 different species described in about 200 genera. Some of these spiders are very large or have bright colors. They are important because they are great at catching flying insects.

Building a web is a clever way of working. First, the spider floats a silk line on the wind. It catches this line on another surface to start. Next, the spider drops another line from the center to make a "Y" shape. It then builds a frame using nonsticky silk called radii. After the frame is ready, the spider adds a final spiral. This spiral is covered in tiny, sticky droplets to catch prey. The spider uses a third claw to walk safely on the nonsticky parts. When an insect hits the sticky silk, the spider bites it quickly.

Scientists have studied these spiders for a long time. Fossil evidence shows that orb webs existed during the Cretaceous period. This was a time when many flowering plants and insects appeared. The oldest known true orb-weaver is named Mesozygiella dunlopi. It comes from the Lower Cretaceous period. Some researchers believe that orb webs helped insects evolve. They think the webs were a major force in how insects changed.

Orb-weavers have many interesting facts about their lives. Many species are most active during the evening hours. They often hide during the day to stay safe. At night, they might eat their old web before spinning a new one.

Some spiders, like those in the genus Argiope, build a thick band of silk. This is called a stabilimentum. It might lure prey or warn birds to stay away. In 2009, a huge group of 100 million spiders was found in Baltimore. They covered about 4 acres of a building!

These spiders show how different shapes help them survive. Some orb-weavers, like the genus Gasteracantha, have long spines. They can look like plant seeds or thorns to hide.

Other spiders, like the genus Cyclosa, use old bits of silk and debris. They build shapes that look like a bigger, scary spider. This is a trick called decoy mimicry to scare predators. Even the size of the spiders can be different. In some species, the females are nine times larger than the males. This helps the big females lay more eggs.

Orb-weaver spiders belong to the family Araneidae. They are most famous for building spiral, wheel-shaped webs. You can find these webs in gardens, fields, and forests. The name "orb" comes from the English word for circular. This family is one of the largest groups of spiders. There are almost 5,000 described species in about 200 genera.

They have eight similar eyes and hairy or spiny legs. They are highly successful predators of flying insects in many ecosystems.

Building an orb web is a complex engineering feat. The process begins when a spider floats a silk line on the wind. Once the line catches on another surface, the spider secures it. It then drops another line from the center to create a "Y" shape. The spider builds a framework of nonsticky silk called radii. After the scaffolding is set, the spider adds a final spiral of sticky capture silk. To walk on the nonsticky parts, the spider uses a third claw. When an insect hits the sticky lines, the spider stuns it with a quick bite. It then wraps the prey in silk.

Orb-weavers have developed many unique strategies for survival. Some species, like those in the genus Argiope, build a thick band of silk called a stabilimentum.

This crisscross band may lure prey or warn birds to stay away. It might also act as camouflage. Other spiders, such as the genus Cyclosa, use decoy mimicry. They build a stabilimentum using silk and debris to look like a larger, more threatening spider. This helps scare away predators. Some spiders, like the genus Gasteracantha, have long spines to look like plant seeds or thorns.

These spiders also show incredible variety in how they hunt. Some members of the genera Mastophora, Cladomelea, and Ordgarius do not build traditional webs. Instead, they use bolas spiders' methods. They dangle a sticky globule containing a pheromone analog from a silken thread. This chemical scent attracts specific male moths. When the moths get close, they stick to the globule and are reeled in. This is a very specialized way to capture prey using chemistry.

History shows that orb webs are very ancient. Fossil evidence indicates these webs existed during the Cretaceous period. The oldest known true orb-weaver is Mesozygiella dunlopi from the Lower Cretaceous.

Scientists believe orb webs may have influenced insect evolution. Some researchers suggest that spider predation was a major force in how insects changed. There is a debate about when this happened. Some estimates suggest a peak radiation 100 million years ago. Other analyses suggest it could be as old as 265 million years.

Life for an orb-weaver involves interesting social and physical patterns. Many orb-weavers are active during the evening and hide during the day. They often consume their old web before spinning a new one at night. This keeps the area free of debris. Some species, like Metepeira, are even semisocial and live in communal webs. In 2009, a massive community of 100 million spiders was found in Baltimore. They covered 4 acres of a building. In some areas, the density reached 35,176 spiders per cubic meter.

Reproduction in Araneidae often involves extreme physical differences. This is known as sexual size dimorphism. In some species, like Nephila pilipes, females can be nine times larger than males. Large females are often selected because they can produce more eggs. Mating can also be dangerous for males. In the species Argiope bruennichi, males are often eaten by females after mating. This is called sexual cannibalism. A male's survival often depends on how long the copulation lasts. If a male mates for more than 10 seconds, he almost always dies.