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Good morning, LA! It is once again Giant Spider Nighttime Face Hug Web Season in our city.
This is my first year spending it as a non-arachnophobe! So here is some info (no spider pics in thread).
1. The giant fall spiders are harmless female orb weavers.
This is my first year spending it as a non-arachnophobe! So here is some info (no spider pics in thread).
1. The giant fall spiders are harmless female orb weavers.
2. They live here all year, they just grow all summer and are biggest by fall.
3. They rebuild their webs every night anyway, so don’t feel bad if you ruin a web.
4. They eat lots of yummy pests (like all those houseflies you’ve been seeing lately).
3. They rebuild their webs every night anyway, so don’t feel bad if you ruin a web.
4. They eat lots of yummy pests (like all those houseflies you’ve been seeing lately).
5. Orb weaver females die after breeding, nothing they can do about it, so the pesky one that keeps building on your car will be gone soon.
6. They are very docile, fearful spiders and usually run away or play dead if frightened.
7. Yes all the webs are girls, the boys wander!
6. They are very docile, fearful spiders and usually run away or play dead if frightened.
7. Yes all the webs are girls, the boys wander!
8. These are tidy spiders who don’t like a messy web, if an insect ensnared in it doesn’t seem like a good meal they will toss it out.
9. They’re nocturnal. So during the day, if a web is empty, the owner is probably nearby hiding in a dry leaf or under a twig.
9. They’re nocturnal. So during the day, if a web is empty, the owner is probably nearby hiding in a dry leaf or under a twig.
10. It’s very hard to get orb weavers to bite a human... it’s just not their thing. They prefer flight, not fight.
11. To avoid breaking webs with your face, especially at night, walk with one hand out in front of your face. Some people carry a stick in front of them.
11. To avoid breaking webs with your face, especially at night, walk with one hand out in front of your face. Some people carry a stick in front of them.
12. Orb weavers’ webs are a marvel of natural engineering, sometimes even stretching between houses across a street!
13. Juvenile orb weavers all spin identical, “perfect” webs, but as they grow they begin to add artistic license. Adult webs vary by species and individual style.
13. Juvenile orb weavers all spin identical, “perfect” webs, but as they grow they begin to add artistic license. Adult webs vary by species and individual style.
