House spiders rarely cause problems inside your home and their presence is often given away with the presence of webs.
House spiders frequently build webs in and around homes. They often build their webs in dark, secluded places like corners of rooms, closets, and behind furniture. These spiders are relatively small, but their webs can be quite large and intricate.
Each spider’s web is unique and reflects the spider’s size, shape, and habits. But all webs share a few common features – the web is made up of a series of radial and concentric circles (or spirals) that intersect to form a network of sticky threads. The spider produces the silk for its web from special glands in its abdomen.
Once the web is complete, the spider waits in the center of it for prey to become entangled in the sticky threads. When an insect or other small creature touches the web, the vibrations are transmitted to the spider, which then rushes over to wrap up its prey in more silk and subdue it with venom.
House Spider’s Webs: What Are Their Functions?
You’ve seen how a house spider’s web can trap prey, but did you know that spiders also use their webs for other purposes?
To Hunt Their Prey
Most house spiders build their webs near the ground, in corners, or in other sheltered spots. The web is designed to trap insects that the spider can then eat. The center of the web is usually sticky so that when an insect brushes against it, it becomes stuck. The spider then feels the vibration of the struggling prey and comes over to wrap it up in silk before killing it and eating it.
Think of the web as a tripwire – this alerts the spider to the presence of potential prey. With it, the spider gets the chance to rush out and capture its meal before it has a chance to escape.
The size of a house spider’s web generally depends on its species and the availability of food. Some spiders build large webs that span several feet, while others build smaller webs that are only a few inches wide, which are seldom difficult to see without going up close. They’re commonly found in the corners of your home, and it would be easy to miss them if you’re not looking for them.
House Spider Uses Their Web as Their Homestead
The house spider’s web is not just a hunting tool – it also serves as its home. The web provides the spider with a place to live and lay its eggs. It also gives the spider a place to hide from predators and escape the elements. Despite being almost invisible to the naked eye, most spider webs are surprisingly strong, providing the spider with both a place to live and a means of defense.
When a house spider feels threatened, it will often retreat to the center of its web and hide among the sticky threads. If the threat is great enough, the spider may abandon its web entirely and build a new one in a different location.
Not all spiders build webs to trap prey. Some species of house spiders build webs as a form of protection from predators and the elements. The web serves as both a physical barrier and a sensory network that alerts the spider to potential danger.
To Protect Themselves and Their Eggs
They also use their webs as a form of protection. The web can provide shelter from the elements and from predators. It can also be used to protect its eggs. The female spider will lay her eggs in a sac in the center of the web and then spin more silk around it to keep the eggs safe.
When spiders feel threatened, they may also drop down from their webs on a silken thread to escape danger. This is known as ballooning. The spider releases a stream of silk that catches the wind and carries the spider away to safety.
House Spiders Lay Their Eggs on Their Web
The web also provides the spider with a place to lay its eggs. The house spider lays its eggs in a sac in the center of the web. The sac is made of silk and is usually white or pale in color. The female spider will lay anywhere from a few to several hundred eggs in the sac, depending on the species. Once the eggs are laid, it will spin more silk around the sac to protect them.
The eggs will hatch after a few weeks or months, depending on the species. Once the eggs hatch, the spiderlings will live on the web until they are old enough to build their own. The spiderlings will then disperse and build webs of their own nearby.
Web Spinning Behavior
A house spider’s web-spinning behavior is both creative and efficient. This arachnid first assesses the area where it will build its web. Once it has found the perfect spot, the spider begins spinning the outer ring of the web. The spider then creates a series of concentric circles, each one getting smaller as it goes.
The reason behind this pattern is not fully understood, but it is thought that the inner circles of the web are more likely to trap prey than the outer rings. The spider then adds a sticky substance to the web to help trap prey. This substance is produced by special glands on the spider’s abdomen and is secreted through the spinnerets.
Finally, it spins a spiral inward until it reaches the center of the web. The entire process is amazingly efficient, which only takes a few minutes to build a web that is strong enough to catch its prey.
Final Thoughts
Do house spiders make webs? By nature, they certainly do! One of the common signs that you have a house spider in your home is the presence of webs. They usually build their webs for numerous reasons, including hunting for prey, protecting themselves, and laying their eggs. It’s common to see webs in high-up places, such as corners of ceilings and doorways.
