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| You Are Here: Burke Museum : Spider Myths : General : Orbwebs |
General Fallacies
Myth: The orb web (the round, spiral or "geometric" type of web) is a "normal" spider web.
Fact: Although orb webs are the most conspicuous webs (because they tend to be large and are often suspended in mid-air) they are not at all the most common type. In temperate regions, sheet webs are by far the most common, and cobwebs are also more abundant than orb webs. In some locations, funnel webs are also more common. Only in the tropics can orb webs equal other web types in abundance, but they still are rarely in the majority. So when you notice a spider web that is not a round orb, rest assured that it's perfectly normal.
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Sheet web made by Neriene digna (from a photo by Rod Crawford) Click image to enlarge |
Funnel web made by Tegenaria gigantea (from a photo by Rod Crawford) Click image to enlarge |
Cobweb made by Steatoda grossa (from a photo by Jim Stratton) Click image to enlarge |
Orb web made by Araneus diadematus (from a photo by Rod Crawford) Click image to enlarge |
| Examples of 4 major types of spider webs. Each functions somewhat differently in prey capture. Sheet webs and funnel webs have no sticky silk. | |||
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2003, Burke Museum of Natural History & Culture, University of Washington, Box 353010, Seattle, WA 98195, USA Phone: 206-543-5590 Photos © as credited |
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to Spider Myths author, Rod Crawford This page last updated 2 September, 2010 This site best viewed at 800 x 600 using IE 5.0 or above. |