ENT 532 Fall 2024: Image of Araneidae web in leaf

While looking at plants near the edge of a stream, I noticed a spider (Araneidae) in its web on a shrub. The web stretched between two leaves and along a branch of the shrub. One of the leaves was folded in half, with its two sides held together by silk. The spider was on the exposed part of the web, but when I poked the web with a stick, it retreated into the folded leaf. After ten minutes, it had still not emerged from the leaf. It seems that this structure is used to hide from predators (and I suspect it could also provide some protection in inclement weather). Involving a leaf in the web seems like it would complicate the selection of a location to build a nest. I wonder if these spiders always include a leaf in their webs or whether they sometimes have a completely exposed web? Can they build their nests on a wide range of plants or if they require a very specific leaf structure? Is there a preferred leaf size?

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Work Title ENT 532 Fall 2024: Image of Araneidae web in leaf
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Ella Messner
Keyword
  1. Araneidae
  2. ENT532
  3. spider web
License CC0 1.0 (Public Domain Dedication)
Work Type Image
Publication Date September 24, 2024
Subject
  1. Entomology
DOI doi:10.26207/0zc7-9q61
Geographic Area
  1. Shingletown Gap, Harris Township, Pennsylvania, USA
Deposited September 24, 2024

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Version 1
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  • Created
  • Updated
  • Updated Keyword, Subject, Geographic Area, and 2 more Show Changes
    Keyword
    • Araneidae, ENT532, spider web
    Subject
    • Entomology
    Geographic Area
    • Shingletown Gap, Harris Township, Pennsylvania, USA
    Description
    • While looking at plants near the edge of a stream, I noticed a spider (Araneidae) in its web on a shrub. The web stretched between two leaves and along a branch of the shrub. One of the leaves was folded in half, with its two sides held together by silk. The spider was on the exposed part of the web, but when I poked the web with a stick, it retreated into the folded leaf. After ten minutes, it had still not emerged from the leaf. It seems that this structure is used to hide from predators (and I suspect it could also provide some protection in inclement weather). Involving a leaf in the web seems like it would complicate the selection of a location to build a nest. I wonder if these spiders always include a leaf in their webs or whether they sometimes have a completely exposed web? Can they build their nests on a wide range of plants or if they require a very specific leaf structure? Is there a preferred leaf size?
    Publication Date
    • 2024-09-24
  • Added Creator Ella Messner
  • Added ENT532 Araneidae web.jpg
  • Updated License Show Changes
    License
    • http://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated Work Title Show Changes
    Work Title
    • ENT532: Image of Araneidae web in leaf
    • ENT 532 Fall 2024: Image of Araneidae web in leaf