This little lady’s been a pleasure and a nuisance to have around. We love spiders, so we welcomed her little apartment web and love bringing her the occasional bug treat. But she’s chosen to attach her web to a ladder, a brand new planter I’m wanting to fill, and a tree that hangs over our back gate, so her web is in a most inconvenient spot!
When we first saw the spider a few days ago, it was actually my youngest son that helped me identify it. He called it a Thorn Spider, having learned about it in school — it turns out that’s what similar spiders in Madagascar are called. Here they are Spiny Orb Weavers, or Spiny-Backed Orb Weavers. They come in a variety of color combinations.
While trying to take a picture, I got to study her a bit, and a little research supported my observations. Rather than wrapping small prey in silk, she traveled along a web line, snagged the prey, dangled from a fresh silk line, and then traveled up the line to the reposition herself in the center of the web before enjoying her feast directly.
How do I know she’s a she spider? It’s the females that make the webs, a new one every single day. You won’t catch me building a new home every day! Or, say, ever.
I’m glad I was able to get a picture of her before she moves on to another web spot. I was worried that yesterday’s rains would make her leave. But she’s back. But every day prior to this, she’s been in eye view. Today I had to climb on a folding chair, get on my tippy-toes, and snap several shots of a moving spider in a web being blown by the breeze. I’d have used a ladder to get higher, but the silly spider attached her web to it!
For a look at a beautiful red version, check out Linda’s at CTGardener. If they weren’t both females, I’d say we should breed them and make a pink one!
P.S. Check out the markings on the back — in some places people call these spiders “smiley face spiders”! 🙂
Interesting post thanks for the information you learn so much from reading other blogs.
Meredith,
These are one of my favorites too. Note the interesting web with little rag tags hanging down the lines, this special web makes for her ID even is she is not present. So far I can
recognize 3 spiders from their webs, this is one of them.
Hey Meridith, I’ve always liked these little spiders but I can’t tell you how many of there webs I walked into and then done that goofy little “there’s a spider on me” dance.
Scott
Spiders are so fascinating to watch. I haven’t seen this type of spider you featured, but I sure love the picture you captured. A couple of years ago my husband had a black widow land on his head. He whisked it into a jar, brought it home, put it in a spider container and filled it with twigs, crickets, etc. We watched her spin a web, prey upon the crickets, etc. It was quite a fascinating biology experiment until it laid an egg sac. Ewwww. yes, I got rid of it. I told my husband I wasn’t about to have 700 black widows emerging from the egg sac running around our home. On another note, I’ve emerged from the living dead…We’ve had the swine flu in our home and it’s taken about 2 weeks to get over it. Now I’m playing catch up with life and blogging. Hope all is well with you.
Joanne, thanks — I love to share what I learn.
Randy, I didn’t know that. I will start to pay more attention to the webs I see.
Scott — I can just picture you doing the spider dance, hehe. I do a web dance, I think — I can’t stand the feel of the webs on me, but I almost never remember that a spider could be on me, too. Truth is, I have so much hair on my head that I’m not sure I’d find it, anyway!
Miss Daisy — I’m so glad to hear you are on the mend, you poor thing. My dad has done the black-widow-in-a-jar thing, too — he has stories of mom spider eating babies, and babies eating mom. It’s quite horrific. I’m glad I didn’t inherit that tendency from him!
While I wait for the SA trip post to load, I’ll just answer this post. There is a young man in town here who collects spiders and other interesting creatures which he sells, both for scientific study and other interesting uses, like the maggots he sent to Hollywood to appear in a movie.
You’re very fortunate to have a group of gardeners with similar interests and such interesting places to visit at a reasonable distance.
interesting info and photo! You have a great way with fascinating me and freaking me out at the same time.
Lovely, I’ll keep my eye out for them. I’ve got two fat fleshy colored spiders we’re keeping an eye on right now…I need to do some research! Thanks for the inspiration…and information!
I love your picture! I miss having the orb weavers. I used to have a bunch but not this year. They’re a great sign that fall is here!