Whenever the topic being discussed is spiders, one will easily recall spider webs found at the corners of walls and under furniture. These arachnid architects include the barn spider, a spider that has been of immense interest to researchers, naturalists, and story tellers for many years. Describing the barn spider’s way of life, its special habitat, role in ecosystems, and folkloristic importance, this article is devoted to this spider.
What is a Barn Spider?
Araneus cavaticus is a species of the orb weaver spider found predominantly in North America, and it is known as the barn spider. Although these spiders are referred to as barn spiders, they can be found in almost any outdoor structure, such as sheds, garages, or even bridges. They are part of the family Araneidae, where other orb weavers reside, and are famous for their complex patterned webs.
Females are slightly bigger than males, and barn spiders are of medium size. They also possess a spherical and large belly that may be in different shades or colors of brown, grey, or both, with some designs on the colors. The legs show annulations that are black and whitish, which may help the spider distinguish from the other types of spiders.
Habitat and Distribution
Barn spiders are primarily found in rural places, especially in farm areas. These spiders are appropriately named since barns give these spiders plenty of food sources in the form of insects as well as adequate space to spin webs. But despite this, they are not restricted to barns only. There are also large barn spiders, which may be found in wooded areas, gardens, and other outdoor places; they are in a position to get plenty of food.
These spiders are most likely to secure their webs at places that expose them to light during the night, such as lamps or windows. The light is to lure insects, which in return make good prey for the barn spider. This positioning strategy enables barn spiders to have a consistent food source to feed on with a lot of ease.
Web-Building Behavior
Another characteristic that is rather amazing about barn spiders is the construction of webs. Barn spiders share the same characteristics as other orb-weaver spiders; they spin a circular web known as a wheel-shaped with a diameter of up to seven feet. The web is created out of silk, which is secreted from the spinneret, and it is not only sticky but also very strong to ensnare flying insects of different kinds.
Web building is a process that takes some phases, and several activities ought to be completed. First of all, the spider spins the launching thread of non-adhesive silk, which in fact shapes the outer circle and radial threads of the web. It then extends towards the center, creating a spiral of silk that is sticky for it to capture its prey. The whole process can last for several hours, and at night, rebuild a new web and eat the old one using silk that has been spun.
Notably, barn spiders are active at night, which is why they are referred to as nocturnal animals. In the daytime, males usually spend their time in a silk shelter situated close to the web and leave it only at dawn, dusk, and nighttime to restore or rewrite the web. Such behavior is useful to them in the search for food and shelter, as well as steering clear of any potential predators and sparing energy.
Diet and Predatory Role
To add on, barn spiders are beneficial insects because they help reduce the number of insects that may be present in the compound. Their diet mainly includes flying insects such as moths, beetles, and flies. After the insect gets entrapped in the silk, the barn spider bites the insect to paralyze it, and at the same time, the venom starts digesting the body of the insect.
On capturing its prey, the barn spider quickly immobilizes it and then covers it with web silk, and moves it to a safe area on the web. In some cases, the spider could choose to eat the prey right away, or if the spider has already had its fill, it could choose to save the prey for some time in the future. This predatory behavior of barn spiders also makes them friends with humans because they control the rate of pest insects.
Life Cycle and Reproduction
The life cycle of a barn spider is said to be one year, given that the developmental processes of this arachnid are fairly fast. Females build a silk sac in the fall and can carry hundreds of eggs at a time. The egg sac may be located in a safe place, for instance, a crevice or under a rock, in order to shield the young ones that are inside the sac from their predators.
In winter, the adult barn spiders die, but before this, they have produced their egg sacs. Spring is the best time for eggs to hatch and spiderlings to come out in force through ballooning, whereby young spiders release threads of silk and are lifted off by the wind to new places. This survival technique facilitates the effective spread of colonization for the given species.
These spiders are also used in folk stories and therefore are referred to as Barn Spiders.
Famous barn spiders are also given in E. B. White’s children’s book “Charlotte’s Web,” where Charlotte, a barn spider, saves the life of a pig named Wilbur by using her web-spinning skills. This portrayal has played a role in keeping the spider popular and has made a great step in changing people’s attitudes toward spiders from hatred to admiration.
Conclusion
Barn spiders are quite interesting species that have their purpose in any environment that they inhabit. Every aspect of the barn spider, from the designs in their webs to them being predators, is simply fascinating. Such a perspective will enable people to live with these spiders harmoniously owing to these valuable effects brought about by the spiders that range from controlling the insect population to playing a key role in maintaining the ecological balance. So the next time you get the opportunity of coming face to face with a barn spider busy spinning its web, consider how well rehearsed and deliberate those actions are.
