The Spiny Orb Weaver

One particular type of spider has made my backyard home. Here's what you'll want to look out for if you make a visit.

There is a small section of the backyard that I've always found webs in. Spiders typically never venture out from this space. There is a couple of bushes, a small tree, and a sago palm plant, all near to each other. With plenty to connect their webs to, there is no better spot for the spiders.

It looked exactly like this one.

So, this is where I always go to check up on those web-weavers. About a year ago, I discovered in there a spider I'd never seen before. I noticed it quickly and found it almost alarming because it was red and surrounded by black spikes. Everything about its appearance shouted "danger", but I was also immensely intrigued. I began googling these features, and found out that it was a spiny orb-weaver. I continued to look out for them everywhere, and found them in mine, and others', front yards as well.

They exist in various colors: red, orange, yellow, and white.

After the extreme weather, all of my spiders disappeared. I didn't see any webs in the backyard again until quite recently. It seems they like it to be extremely hot out.

Within the last few weeks, just as the sun has ramped up its efforts just a bit too much, I found my spider community to be alive again. Various little friends had built their homes. Observing this, one poor little thing flew into the trap of one of these spiders right before my eyes. What happened next is exactly as one would expect. He was suddenly and perfectly devoured.

Soon to join among these creatures was once again a spiny orb-weaver. It was exciting to see one again. This one was colored a brilliant yellow, and the sight of him overpowered all of the others.

I began to suspect though that his species overpowered in more than just this one way. A day later, a white one had appeared near the yellow, and they were the only two spiders in the vicinity. They'd begun their takeover.

It really became something when another one came who believed that he couldn't possibly share the space with the other two.

I came out and didn't have to go searching for the spiders. A yellow spiny orb-weaver was right there above me. He had built his web right in the porch, attached to the ceiling fan. His bravery was certainly a mistake.

When I showed the spider to my dad, he was impressed and also ready to take him down. A quick swipe to his connection to a chair left the web crumpled. Turning the fan on did it in completely. The spider flew.

Unfortunately, he took my dad's destruction as a challenge, as I found when I came out the next day. He had not backed down, and instead, had built across as much of the porch as he was capable of. To get past him, I had to duck below his creation. He was unafraid.

I wasn't out to change that immediately. I thought I would let him have his web. After all, I wanted to show everybody.

Still, it did not last long. The very next person to witness it was not cautious enough. I had made sure to establish that there would be no touching what I would show them. It was one wrong movement that crumpled the entirety of the spider's hard work.

His web had relied on one connection to a chair that was sat on. With only one line left for him to stand on, the spider finally realized that he had to relocate. The porch was no place for him.

Today, that rebellious spiny orb-weaver has joined his brothers. The three have webs in close proximity to each other, within that one corner of my backyard.

#spiders #spinyorbweaver #nature #bugs #spider