Spiders – Agelenidae spiders, or funnel-weaver spiders, construct these webs. Insects walk across the mat-like web, get tangled up, and are then subdued by the spider that quickly rushes out of its hole when it senses vibration. First and foremost, it offers great protection for its creator, as the spider can hide in the difficult-to-access center.Īdditionally, it’s the perfect ambush structure. How it works – There are several interesting perks of this web design. This hole is where the funnel-weaver spider hides out and reaps some of the great benefits of this web design.
Expanses of thread span over a variety of distances, and they meet in the middle where they form a cylindrical hole. Funnel Web Funnel spider web in bushĭescription – The aptly-named funnel web is, as you could guess, shaped like a funnel. This family includes very common and harmless house spiders, but it also includes very venomous spiders like the black widow. Spiders – Primarily made by spiders in the Theriidae family. Once it reaches the web, it’s quickly subdued by the spider. When an insects walks across this thread and breaks it, it’s simultaneously stuck and lifted up into the web by the contracting thread. There are sticky droplets at the end of the dangling strings that sit right at floor level, acting as a snare. How it works – The convoluted design of cobwebs is what makes them so effective. These webs commonly collect a lot of dust and dirt, adding to their dirty appearance. They’re frequently anchored to the top of a structure and have many different threads hanging down off of it. While they appear messy and disorganized, they’re actually created that way. However, they’re not to be confused with collections of dust/dirt that can also be found in corners. Tangle Web / Cobweb Cobweb in old barnĭescription – Cobwebs are very commonly seen indoors in areas that don’t get much traffic, especially in corners.
These spiders are primarily found outside, and many genus and species within it are non-threatening in terms of their venom. Spiders – These webs are primarily associated with the family Araneidae, or orb-weaver spiders. The most effective webs can capture upwards of 250 insects per day! These webs are constructed vertically in areas that get significant flying insect traffic. How it works – The main frame of this web, the outer border and inner spokes, is constructed with elastic, sticky thread and droplets that are used to capture prey with ease. It’s inferred that these flourishes are either used to better disguise the web, attract prey, or both. Some orb webs have additional designs outside of the standard spokes and spirals, but their purpose is unknown. These spokes are then joined together with a spiraling elastic thread to create a large surface area for capturing prey. This web is comprised of a very strong external frame that’s joined in the center to create spokes. It’s estimated that these webs came to be around 100 million years ago when flying insects started to evolve. Orb Web Orb spider web between flowersĭescription – This is an extremely common type of spider web, and one that most people think of when they picture a spider web. Some of these webs are a lot more common than others, and some are a bit more loosely-defined. By “main types”, we mean webs that spiders use to live and store food in, hide in, and hunt with. What exactly are these different types of spider webs, then? So, it may be a treat to see some of these webs in the wild! Some of these webs are extremely common, while others are only made by a few different genus or species of spiders. It’s from this research that we can determine that there are six main types of spider webs, with three addition types of webs that serve unique purposes. However, virtually all types of webs have been documented and studied to some extent. There aren’t any scientific resources that explicitly state how many different types of spider webs exist. Regardless, this post will tell you everything that you need to know. Or, you may just be curious about the different types of spider webs out there, as some seem to be very different from others. You may be wondering what kind of spider makes that kind of web, and if you should be concerned and take pest control action. Seeing a spider web in or near your house may raise some red flags.
Through evolution and biological programming, spiders have learned how to make extremely effective webs. Spider webs are some of the most amazing feats of engineering in the animal kingdom.