Orb weaver web necklaces

Photo by Colleen Weum

I am so puzzled by the orb weavers this year. I received several photos like this recently. I have never seen an orb weaver create a necklace like this. Obviously there is web in the center because that's where the spider is sitting.

Maybe the webs have always looked like this - but what makes the outer area so distinct?

I really like orb weavers. They guard my front door every year and keep most of the little flying things out of my house. There are sometimes a couple of them and we often have to have discussions about where they can build and where they can anchor their webs.

[Yes, I talk to spiders. I also talk to inanimate objects. Get over it.]

This year there is a large one who anchored her web on the hand rail. I broke that strand and she wisely moved up and away but still near the door and the porch light. Yesterday, I realized that she was sharing or overlapping her web with a smaller orb weaver. And today there were three of them, working peacefully with small webs side by side.

I haven't seen a flying creature in a week.

I have to find the Spider Man and have him tell me what's happening.

--Diane