Did you know the scientific name for spiders is Araneida or Araneae? Spiders have been around for a long time and have also been hanging out in your homes or offices for a longtime as well. Evidence of their occupation are the spider webs in our homes.
Spiders are more than just an insect, they also help get rid of other pesty bugs. Consequently, they help stop the spread of diseases. In addition, they care for the environment as well as help protect farm crops too. These artists build intricate webs to add to their surroundings and catch their prey.
The Wonderful World of Spider Webs
Before we explore the wonderful world of webs, let’s learn a little bit about spider webs. There is a difference between spider webs and cobwebs. The difference is that spider webs have elegant designs and cobwebs are tangled and have an irregular design. Cobwebs are made of a different kind of silk, too. Here are some different types of spider webs:
Spiral Orb Webs
These are the most common webs. They come from the family of spiders called Araneidae and that includes orange garden weaving spiders, banded orb weaving spiders, bola spiders, and silk spiders. This web looks like a spoked wheel. These webs are usually found outdoors.
Tangled Webs or Cobwebs
These types of webs are created by the family of spiders called Theridiidae. These spiders include the house spider and ogre-faced stick spider. These webs don’t have symmetry and jumbles of thread attached to a support like a doorway or ceiling corner and they collect dirt and debris.
Sheet Webs
Sheet webs are flat sheets of silk between blades of grass or branches. Spiders spin a net of criss-crossed threads above the sheet. Flies end up hitting the net and become prey. If the sheet web has holes, spiders can repair them. The family of spiders that build these webs are Linyphiidae.
Funnel Webs
These webs are large, flat horizontal webs with openings at both ends so the spider can escape. Funnel web spiders can feel their prey and bites it so they can bring it back to funnel web. The families of spiders that create these webs are from the Ageleniade family.
Triangle Webs
The Uloboria spider family creates these webs which is why they are named triangle webs. These webs are silky strands of spokes and spirals that connect to three strands. Triangle webs are horizontal and fuzzy, which help trap and smother prey. The Uloboria spider family don’t have venomous glands so their fuzzy webs help with capture and smothering of the prey.
Mesh Webs
Mesh web spiders are the outdoor version of the cobweb spider. Their webs are more organized and less messy than cobweb spiders. They build their webs outside under leaves, in fields and under rocks and vegetation.
Specialty Spider Webs
Now that we learned about different types of webs, let’s learn about specialty webs that serve more than just the catching-their-prey purpose.
Sperm Webs
These webs are small, tubular webs that are easy to miss. They’re made quickly and destroyed fast as spiders are very secretive of these webs. These webs are created by mature male spiders to transfer sperm from the epiandrous fusillae to the palpal bulbs. They are for mating purposes. Most tarantulas and some other spiders create these types of webs.
Molt Mat
This is a web made by a tarantula. They’re thick mats of webbing that are laid out on the ground where a tarantula intends to flip over and begins to molt. These webs will be left over, unlike the sperm webs, these webs do stay around. Molt mats serve two main purposes for tarantulas. First they provide a comfortable place for the tarantula to molt. This mat also allows tarantulas to alert them if any predators are nearby.
Egg Sacs
When spiders lay eggs, they lay quite a few at a time. Numbers of eggs range from two to 1,000. In order to contain all of these eggs, female spiders create an egg sac. Egg sacs come in a variety of different shapes, from discs to spheres. They also range in color from white to dark brown and black. Females that lay eggs on a silk mat, cover them with another silk mat, and then wrapping that all up in a ball. Egg sacs are made of woven silk, and they work to both protect the spider eggs and keep them all together for easy movement, storage and protection. Once the spiderlings are ready to hatch, it’s very easy for them to escape from these
loosely-woven egg sacs and start their spider lives.
Now that you know more about the mysteries of spider webs, you can call us for any of your insect control issues. We are local and you can call us at 317-777-5005 or visit our website at https://www.bugoutnow.net/. We are happy to make your home pest free!
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