Hobbies And Interests
American House Spider
The American house spider is, according to the New York State Conservationist, the most common species of cobweb spider found in New York homes. The American house spider can be easily identified by its round, shiny abdomen and long, spindly legs. As for indoor or outdoor living, it has no preference; it builds its web wherever food is most plentiful. It typically hangs upside-down in its haphazardly constructed web in corners, doorways and under furniture in your home, or outside between rocks or fence posts. The female American house spider constructs pale brown, pear-shaped egg sacs that also hang in her messy web. As a side note, the much-feared black widow spider is a member of the cobweb family of spiders, but is rarely found in New York.
Sheet Web Weaver
Sheet web weavers, also called dwarf spiders because of their diminutive size (no larger than one-quarter inch), comprise one of the most plentiful spider populations in New York. True to its name, the sheet web weaver builds a lacy, sheet-like web among trees and vegetation. Attached to its web are many dainty, disordered threads called "knock-down threads," which are invisible to flying insects. Flying insects become tangled in the knock-down threads and tumble onto the web, at which point the wily sheet web weaver scampers down the back of its web and goes in for the kill.
Funnel Web Spider
The funnel web spider, or funnel weaver spider, is typically brown with black, tan or grey markings and long, bristly legs. According to spiderzrule.com, the funnel web spider weaves a large, flat, horizontal web with a funnel at one end in which it hides. Like the sheet web weaver, the funnel web spider also peppers its web with knock-down threads designed to ensnare flying insects. The funnel is opened on both ends to provide easy access and escape. When the funnel web spider detects the vibration of an intruder, i.e., food, on its web, it scampers from its hiding place, seizes its prey and carries it back to its funnel for a hardy meal.
Black and Yellow Garden Spider
According to the New York State Conservationist, the black and yellow garden spider is "one of the largest, most conspicuous spiders in New York." It is almost always found living outdoors in huge, octagonal, "classically constructed" webs, hung among trees, high vegetation or even on your deck or front porch. The silk web of this spider is an intricately designed home: Nonsticky spokes frame the web and provide structural support, sticky spirals ensnare unsuspecting insects and wide strips of white silk deter birds from crashing through the web. The female black and yellow garden spider hangs 1 to 3 egg sacs in her web, each one containing between 300 to 1,400 eggs. Sadly, her lifespan is short and she will probably die before her spiderlings hatch.
Wolf Spider
The wolf spider, according to spiderzrule.com, acquired its moniker because of the "wolf-like" manner in which it stalks its prey. It is a small to medium-sized creature, generally grey or brown with black, brown, grey or orange markings, and sports a thin layer of fuzz. The wolf spider is nocturnal and spends its nights foraging close to or on the ground for food. With its strong legs and oddly keen vision, it is able to actually chase down its prey with lightening speed. Although not an aggressive spider, the wolf spider will bite humans if it is disturbed, causing extreme pain, infection and lesions if the wound is not immediately treated.
Crab Spiders
The crab spider is named for its comical, scuttling way of walking. Like a crab, its legs are situated on the sides of its cephalothorax (head and thorax) and abdomen, and its first two pairs of legs are generally longer than the others, making it even more crab-like in appearance. According to the New York State Conservationist, the crab spider is a hunter. It does not build a web, but instead spends its time lurking on flowers and vegetation, waiting for butterflies, bees or other insects to wander into its vicinity, at which time it strikes, quickly paralyzing its prey with deadly venom. Interestingly, the crab spider is quite the chameleon, possessing the ability to change its color to match the flower on which it lurks.
Cellar Spider
The cellar spider can be easily identified by its tiny cephalothorax, elongated abdomen and long, skinny legs. As you may have guessed, rather than live outdoors this spider will gladly inhabit the dark corners of your cellar or basement, where it hangs upside-down in its messy, haphazardly constructed web. The female cellar spider typically lays around one dozen eggs, which she wraps in a silken "bassinet" and carries with her in her fangs. According to the New York State Conservationist, although this spindly creature is rumored to be quite poisonous to humans, feel free to sweep out your cellar--that story is nothing but an urban legend.