I can't decide if a crossed orb spider in San Diego is dead or not.

[DarlaDoo]

We have many spiders around our complex that look like this. Currently, we have one live one that thought it would be great to build a web across the balcony and then got upset when the rabbit blasted through it. She got very stressed out and kept running up on her web, and then sort of disappeared a few hours ago. Because the web was in pretty bad shape at that point, I brushed it down so she can rebuild in a better spot. One of the reasons I needed to get by her is that another one has a bigger web up on the other side of the balcony. But, for several days I thought this spider had died as she has not been moving. I swear the web looks better than it did though. So, I'm confused. I touched the edge and it sort of seemed like the center jumped, but then I didn't really detect any movement in the legs. She is not exhibiting in the usual orange color and seems darker. I don't want to take the web down if she's alive, but it has been several days now. The lets in front are still sort of stretched forward, not curled up. Is it possible for a spider to die this way and not curl up? Is the change in color a sign that she is dead? I'd like a bit of input before I disturb her. But, I've never seen anything like this. She's in the same spot for days, and they almost never keep their web in the same spot that long. As for the one who is hiding and contemplating whether we are horrible neighbors and she should leave, is it bad for her that she didn't take her web down? It seems like we have a lot of abandoned webs around.

 

[SpookySpooder]

She could be preparing to molt. Or she could just be stressed and hiding until she feels it's safe to rebuild her web. When they die, they hang lifelessly in their web. If she isn't dangling from one spot unresponsive, she is most likely still alive.

 

[DarlaDoo]

She looks like this from one side, but from the other she looks dark and kind of lifeless. The web isn't taut and is blowing around pretty good, but I never see her even twitch. What concerns me is that it's been several days and I did think she was kind of dangling. But, today she looks less so. I can't get a good picture from the other side because there's a tree in the background that the camera wants to focus on. Even me putting the phone ever and ever closer to her didn't get her to move. And the web, now that I'm looking at the picture, seems sort of dessicated. I'm very confused though by the leg positions, since it makes her look more alive.

 

[The Snark]

That's an 'I'm done' web. I can't tell if it's neoscona or araneus. Either done for the season or for life. Torpored. It's late in the season so drop out and lay eggs time, or die. Could go either way.
The web remaining in that condition is no longer used to catch prey. Just a place to park.

 

[DarlaDoo]

So, if she's been like that for a few days, do you think she's still alive or getting ready to lay eggs? She's awful big.

 

[The Snark]

do you think she's still alive or getting ready to lay eggs?

Very fine line between alive and functional or giving up the ghost. Many species of spiders in a deep torpor condition might as well be dead. Some, but not many, revitalize in the spring.

 

[DarlaDoo]

So, I should leave it a while longer? I think it's been about a week since she's just been still like that. Her leg position is what confuses me because it seems like she's gripping the web still. Sigh. Heaven knows we have enough of them that I should grieve one spider, but she's a grand old dame.

 

[DarlaDoo]

SHE'S ALIVE!!! Okay, I'm not going to deny that I am rather pleased. I noticed she wasn't on the web and saw her down on top of the umbrella, so went to see. She looked alive, so I got the camera to get a picture of her markings and she wigged out and ran up to her web. Very fast too! She seems to have also rebuilt it. Incidentally, she looks like this:

I had thought, because we have so many orb weavers, that they were probably all the same. But, the other one on my deck looks like this, which is quite different!

 

[SpookySpooder]

Yeah I've noticed they tend to hide for a few days if you catastrophically rip their webs. Probably a response to survive predation.

They are often brightly colored after a molt and then they darken back to a mottled dark brown. The males are also shaped slightly differently.

Here is an example of two spiders of the same species that look different.

Orb Weaver ID

Backstory: I displaced tons of Orb Weavers when I trimmed down the privacy hedge the other week. Been feeding this one female that took up residence in the car port. The other night I found a male, and put him near her web. The other night I saw him drumming on her web line and she was drumming...

arachnoboards.com

 

[DarlaDoo]

Those are pretty cool. With mine, the one that looks pink (actually is orange) has been hiding because my bunny ran through part of the web and then the rabbits were out there back and forth a lot and it was freaking her out a bit. The big momma still has her web, but it looks like she's left now that she's awake again. Thanks for your help. I really wanted to make sure I gave her the benefit of a doubt and it seems to have worked out.

 

[The Snark]

Really hoping she pulls through. So rewarding to have them around.
I did a stupid two nights ago. We haven't had Nephila on our property for a couple of years though I saw a web a few weeks ago across the road. Then I went out to get something out of the car and walked right into a large web. AWW NUTS! Backed out, covered in sticky filaments, and kicking myself. It still hasn't tried rebuilding.

Suggestion, just a thought. I've been monitoring the spider activity in comparison to the number of bugs I see circling the street lights. Varies by the season. So if you have lots of spiders around you could take a survey which may tell you of dormancy time and seasonal cycles.

 

[Tarantuland]

Boop it

 

[DarlaDoo]

Really hoping she pulls through. So rewarding to have them around.
I did a stupid two nights ago. We haven't had Nephila on our property for a couple of years though I saw a web a few weeks ago across the road. Then I went out to get something out of the car and walked right into a large web. AWW NUTS! Backed out, covered in sticky filaments, and kicking myself. It still hasn't tried rebuilding.

Suggestion, just a thought. I've been monitoring the spider activity in comparison to the number of bugs I see circling the street lights. Varies by the season. So if you have lots of spiders around you could take a survey which may tell you of dormancy time and seasonal cycles.

Thanks. She came back out of whatever she was doing this morning. Found her sitting down on the umbrella, so thought maybe she fell off. But, when I tried to take a picture she bolted back up that web so fast it made me jump. She let me take one after that (which is posted above). She's since left, and I don't know if it's because she was just using that web while she went through something or she's hiding from the heat. I'm happy she came out of it at any rate.

There seem to be less webs than a month ago, so I was wondering if it's about time for dormancy. We still have a bunch though. It's San Diego, so I'm sure they can stick around longer. We've got a lot of little fruit flies and a tropical storm brought mosquitoes, so I'm happy to have the spiders. I seem to have two different varieties on my balcony, so it makes me want to run around taking pictures of all the others. LOL

 

[DarlaDoo]

Boop it

I thought she fell off the web because I saw her sitting down on the umbrella. But, when I went and looked at her, she looked pretty good. So, I got my camera out and she took off up her web at light speed. So, I guess she's fine now. Seven day nap. I'm so happy she's okay, although she seems to have moved on now.

 

[Smotzer]

She got very stressed out and kept running up on her web, and then sort of disappeared a few hours ago.

It is not stressed friend!! Webs in nature get destroyed all the time from natures might, its nothing to really worry about. If the conditions are right it will rebuild to whatever capacity it needs. Or it will move and build somewhere else. I wouldn't worry about it too much, they are quite used to and evolved to have enough silk to deal with any web building/rebuilding that they may need!

But I get it we do the same here on my porch, if a spider sets up a web in/throughout/between any of my caudiciforms we usually don't move them until they leave on their own, and occasionally give them juicy meals too!

 

[DarlaDoo]

It is not stressed friend!! Webs in nature get destroyed all the time from natures might, its nothing to really worry about. If the conditions are right it will rebuild to whatever capacity it needs. Or it will move and build somewhere else. I wouldn't worry about it too much, they are quite used to and evolved to have enough silk to deal with any web building/rebuilding that they may need!

But I get it we do the same here on my porch, if a spider sets up a web in/throughout/between any of my caudiciforms we usually don't move them until they leave on their own, and occasionally give them juicy meals too!

Thanks. She's kind of messing with my head now. For about a week, she hung there, but the position of her body left me doubtful about whether she was dead. Then, the day after I posted, she was down on the umbrella. When I went to get a picture of her back (since someone wanted to identify her), she took off at light speed and ran up the web. So, whatever was going on, she is better. But, now, she abandons the web all day. I see her out there in the morning and then she leaves. It's been hot, so I don't know if that's why. But, she really hasn't been around much. I just leave her web since it's not in the way. She's Big Momma to us now because she's quite a large spider.

 

[SpookySpooder]

I see her out there in the morning and then she leaves. It's been hot, so I don't know if that's why.

Pretty much answered it I think.