Explanation of Orbweaver behavior

[tsf2]

I recently relocated to Kansas City and found spider watching as a great way to enjoy nature with my daughter.

There are two particular spiders living by the back porch light that have caught our attention, to the point we named them. During the summer months, the larger, dark brown spider (we named Sylvia) always spun large, immaculate webs every evening, which would disappear by morning and she would hide up in the light fixture.

However, starting in about mid-August she seemed to slow her web building. Some nights it was there, others not. And when she did build a web it was not thoroughly cleaned up by morning as it had been previously. Then she seemed to stop building webs at all. She now crouches inside or on top of the light fixture and will occasionally hang down on a string of web, but never spins a web. A few times I have seen her hanging from the light fixture on a single strand. There are a few strands of silk inside the light fixture. I have not seen any sort of egg sacs in the area.

We started to think it was a temporary behavior but has been going on for over a month. I thought it might be seasonal, but the other spiders, namely Sofia, continue their nightly web building. The contrast in behaviors is what really caught my attention.


Can anyone help me understand why Sylvia may have suddenly stopped spinning webs but remains in the area? Is this normal behavior?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

She might just be old and dying.

 

[Edan bandoot]

Could be:
Old
Preparing for a sac
Environmental factors

You'll have to watch and observe. Maybe get a pet tarantula

 

[The Snark]

As others have said. It is also possible she may also be entering dormancy. I've seen this several times, once with a diadematus, where she parked in the middle of a window and remained there for almost 5 months before reactivating. It is about that time of the year. Genetic instructions wise, 'why remain active for one or two more bugs when in a few months she will be served the spring buffet every night'.

 

[tsf2]

Thanks all for the information. We'll keep an eye on them and see what happens.

 

[dangerforceidle]

Orb weavers are generally "seasonal" spiders in that they hatch in spring time, grow through the summer months at the peak of flying insect activity, then lay eggs in the fall. Depending on species and location, they generally don't over-winter and instead pass away. If she's still building webs but only occasionally, she is likely preparing to produce her sacs, and then she'll disappear.