photo #1126554

Some of the most interesting spiders are the Orb Weavers - and lucky for us they are some of the most pervasive. Nearly 3000 species exist, and you can find orb weavers on every continent (except Antarctica). The Orb Weaver above, called a Western Spotted Orb Weaver (Neoscona oaxacensis) has been hanging out in our front yard near a light. Like many orb weavers, it spins a new web each day after consuming the old web. It is amazing to see the speed and agility of the spider as it spins the web. The Western Spotted Orb Weaver's coloration and patterns are known to vary quite a bit. The one above is quite pale, while the one below has a very vivid pattern.