Araneus Cavaticus

            She knows this garden better than those who claim to own it. She has been exploring it for many months now, basking in the august warmth. But when the trees catch fire, and orange and red leaves cover the once green pathways she intricately memorized, she knows then, now is her time. She has been waiting for this moment. Swiftly, she makes her way around the neglected garden, over the poorly placed stones, up the chipped siding, across the warped roof panels, all the way to the dirty window.

Stop and Smell the Roses

I wondered when I might have the time to clean my bedroom window. Such things become obsolete when caring for a tiny human. My son was 9 months old. It felt like I could never keep up, with the chores, the garden, my friends. That’s the funny thing about raising a baby, despite their rapid growth, they still manage to slow you down. You begin to see the world through new eyes. If it wasn’t for my son, I might never have spotted the Spider in the window. Such observations take slow consideration. “Look” I whispered to him, pointing out his eight-legged protector. The flies, in an attempt to escape the cooling air, had made their way into my home. When my mother visited, she would remind me that babies attract a level of jealousy, even when people’s thoughts are pure, things like admiration or envy can transmute into evil eye even with the best intentions. She would say the flies were a sign of this. But with our new Spider friend around, I felt a sense of comfort wash over me. The weight of protecting my child felt a little lighter, knowing that this Spider came to share the responsibility. In return, I felt it was only right to understand the Spider better. This is where I began my research.

The Barn Spider: An Ode to Resilience

Araneus Cavaticus is a type of orb-weaver Spider native to North America. Araneus: a genus of Spiders, and Cavaticus: belonging to or living in caves. Still, they are more commonly known as the Barn Spider, as the doorways and beams that make up a barn are the perfect place to build their web. They make homes near food sources, so it is no surprise that the insects the farm animals attract would summon the Barn Spider. Before there were man-made structures for them to explore, Araneus Cavaticus built their webs in trees, and the openings of caves as their scientific name suggests. Regardless of what we call them, their name continues to honor place, and their resilience against urbanization has kept their population strong. In fact, some species of orb-weaver Spiders have been observed to benefit from urbanization. A study published by PubMed revealed that these habitat changes resulted in larger Spiders with increased reproductive capacity (Lowe 5). It is predicted that this is due to a larger availability of prey in highly populated areas, because like farm animals our human waste also attracts insects. It only makes sense for orb-weavers to take advantage of the buffet.

Poisonous Ideologies

            In a perfect world this would make for a beautiful symbiotic relationship. The people attract the insects, and the Spider rids the people of those insects. Unfortunately, their usefulness in pest control is not enough for humans to see their worth. It seems contradictory to hire pest control for pest control, but often people do just that. Humans have become so consumed by their need for control that they have forgotten to recognize the value of nature, creating their dream safe haven at the expense of so many organisms. While the pesticides used to kill the unwanted insects aren’t effective in killing the Spider, unless sprayed directly, they can still be harmed by ingesting prey that has been infected with the poison. Tragically, this results in the spider becoming disoriented, losing its ability to build its web and catch prey. This occurs because the neurotoxins damage the spider’s central nervous system (Benamú 1162). Ultimately, this results in them either starving to death or being eaten by predators, who will then ingest the poison as well. To make matters worse, infected mother Spiders produce abnormal egg sacs in addition to having decreased fertility (Benamú 1160). Even with the Spider’s resilient nature and ability to adapt to various urbanized and unurbanized settings, long term exposure to insecticides will have a detrimental impact on their population over time. Humans have become their own kind of predator to the spider out of fear. It is true what they say about people fearing what they don’t understand. If pesticides aren’t used, the usual go to is a napkin or shoe. What a dishonorable death to give to a creature who once had beautiful stories written to honor their teachings.

A Change in Perspective

            Various tribal communities recognize the Spider’s innate wisdom. Some even recognize them as a cultural deity. The Dakota people believe Spiders to be “wise fools,” a representation of being able to learn from one’s mistakes (Burns). Among the Cherokee people, spiders are credited for the origin of fire (Mooney). For the Navajo people, spiders taught them valuable skills like weaving. They are known to inspire creativity. Some stories were even told to keep children in line, teaching that Spider Woman would eat them if they did not behave (Burns). Even still, their fear did not cause them to seek revenge on her, emphasizing that you can fear something and still respect it. We could learn a lot about the value of Spiders from these Indigenous stories. Maybe if we adopt a new perspective, we might be able to combat our fears and have the symbiotic relationship mentioned before.

Nature’s Artist

Fearing Araneus Cavaticus didn’t benefit me any. I had begun to look forward to seeing her every evening. In the mornings I wondered where she had gone, but I knew she would be back before dark. These small consistencies kept me grounded. On many afternoons, just when golden hour began, I would observe her dancing across her silk in a methodical act of artistry as she spun her web. As her legs moved gracefully, the sun was caught in the peach fuzz of her abdomen. Her brown body now glowing a bright orange. I could see how she might’ve carried fire. I felt inspired as she continued to build her intricate web. The silk spiraled into circular spokes, a lacework of devotion, as if she were wrapping my home in a blanket of protection. She did this every day. She made me want to paint, like I did before I became a mother. If she could make time to build a new web every day, I could find time to paint.

Vibrations

Orb-weaver Spiders take down their webs each morning and return to the garden to hide from predators. They don’t let anything go to waste. They consume every gossamer thread. This thread is then recycled through their body to be used when they rebuild their web in the evening. Pollen that attaches itself to the silk makes up close to 25% of their nutrients (Eggs 3). The other 75% being the insects that get caught in their web. Spiders rely on the vibrations of their webs to alert them to danger or food; this is because they don’t have good eyesight. At night, when they are most likely to be on their web, they wait for something to fly into their trap. When an insect does find itself tangled up, it rattles the web just enough for the Spider to know exactly where it is. Swiftly it makes its way over and delicately wraps its prey into a tight cocoon. Sometimes, when the intruder is larger and perceived as a threat, the Spider will bounce up and down on its web to intimidate its prey (Baker). Because they can’t see well, they may have the same reaction to leaves or other debris that cling to their web.

Duality: Balancing Life and Death

Araneus Cavaticus are solitary creatures. While many of them may occupy one structure at once, if they encounter one another they will fight for territory. This is because they see one another as a threat to their food source. This makes their mating ritual more complicated, as the male Spider must be cautious not to threaten the female. The male Spider spends most of its life in search of a mate. They are much smaller than their female counterpart and tend to stay in the gardens until mating time comes. When fall begins, they search for a female. When they spot one, they attach a small thread of silk to the edge of her web and build their own smaller one nearby. By connecting the webs, the female Spider senses the male’s vibrations. After copulating the female Spider stores the sperm in a pouch until she is ready to lay her eggs (Baker).

It is common for female Araneus Cavaticus to eat the males after this, but there has been debate over whether the male spider dies during copula, or if the female Spider kills them for the nutrients needed to lay her eggs. Another possible outcome for the male Spider is that he flees by catapulting off the female. Whatever the outcome for the male Spider, the female Spider waits till late fall to lay her eggs. She will find a safe place for her clutch, then she will weave her most important creation. Delicately she wraps her eggs in the same silk she wraps her prey, a beautiful representation of her duality. It is then that Araneus Cavaticus prepares to make the ultimate sacrifice. She will guard her clutch from close by, waiting for the cold to take her with the summer foliage. Her gossamer swaddle will keep her babies warm through the harsh cold. Winter is looming.

Generations

She was gone as quickly as she came, and along with her went the flies. Even if it was just silly superstition, I was thankful for her help. After much research I knew that her time was coming to an end. Still, I wondered if I might see her kin come spring. Would they build a web where their mother did? I’d keep my newly found site for next season and pray that I am lucky enough for them to stick around. Baby Spiderlings stay in their clutch until after their first molt, when they emerge and disperse. They throw their silk into the air and float off so that they don’t share territory. I wondered if I’d have the chance to see them flying through the air. Maybe if I made time to tend to my neglected garden, I would be more likely to spot them. As I looked at her empty tattered web, I thought about how crazy it was that she would have been about the same age as my son. Araneus Cavaticus live about 1 year. How inspiring to consider how many generations might come from her in the time it takes for my son to grow up. How he might see her descendants when he is as old as I am, as long as we don’t let fear get the better of us.

Arachnophobia

It is estimated that between 10-12% of the US population has arachnophobia (“Arachnophobia”). Arachnophobia is an intense, irrational, fear of Spiders and other arachnids. This phobia is the main motivation for people’s hatred of Spiders. While the population of Araneus Cavaticus is stable due to their own resilience and adaptability, the possibility of their population dwindling due to human error is never zero. People’s fear of Spiders is usually motivated by their potential to bite, but most Spiders don’t have fangs strong enough to break human skin. While Araneus Cavaticus can bite, they are much more likely to flee. There are less than 10 Spider-related deaths worldwide, so there’s really no need to worry (“Arachnophobia”). Currently it seems the only bravery surrounding spiders, is a person’s willingness to kill one. Bravery should stem from overcoming fear, not succumbing to it. I hope when my son grows up, he will be brave enough to face his fears. Overcoming this starts with compassion and seeing the Spider as an ally and not the enemy. It will take time. By replacing our fears with wonder and fascination we can truly begin to value our Spider friends. Just think of all the wonderful things they contribute to the world.

The Eight-Legged Protector

Spiders are not only beneficial to us in terms of pest control, but also to the ecosystem as a whole. This is because the Spider is both predator and prey, and many species of birds and lizards rely on Spiders for sustenance. If Spiders were to disappear there would be a severe disruption to the food chain. This could cause an overpopulation of the insects they prey on, as well as the potential extinction of others (“Arachnophobia”). An imbalance of this nature would impact humanity in two devastating ways. First, without the Spider’s help maintaining insect populations, our crops would suffer as large swarms consumed all of our produce. This would leave little to none for us and could eventually lead to widespread famine. Second, an untamed insect population could result in diseases spreading rapidly. So next time you hover your shoe over a Spider or plan to mace them with neurotoxins be brave and think about all the ways that Spider has protected you all your life without you even knowing. Be thankful for the fresh vegetables on your dinner plate and your healthy family. Then consider how your response will catch up to you or even your descendants.

Bravery: Overcoming Fear

Once you recognize all the things a Spider does for you without you ever having to ask, you’ll realize that leaving them be is the least you could do. If you spot an Araneus Cavaticus outside, observe its beauty. Pay attention to the intricate details of their web and notice the unique patterns on its abdomen. There is a large variation in presentation of Araneus Cavaticus: ask yourself what is unique about the one before you. Consider how its existence has protected you from famine and disease. When the Spider wanders indoors, as they often do, give them the same grace. They don’t mean any harm. Recognize that to them cold means death, and it’s warm inside. Use a cup and paper to gently relocate them to your garden. This method will take the same amount of time it would take you to clean their body off your wall. The more you learn about Spiders, the less intimidating they will become. I hope the next time you see a Spider you are brave enough to let it live.

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Works Cited

“Arachnophobia: The Fear of Spiders.” Creature Courage, 8 Oct. 2024, https://creaturecourage.com/the-

fear-of-spiders-arachnophobia/

Baker, Lev. “Barn Spider.” AZ Animals, 27 May 2024, https://a-z-animals.com/animals/barn-spider/

Benamú, Marco A et al. “Short and long-term effects of three neurotoxic insecticides on biological and

behavioural attributes of the orb-web spider Alpaida veniliae (Araneae, Araneidae): implications for IPM programs.” PubMed, 22 Sept. 2013, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23846558/

Burns, Ruth H. "Web of Lives: Lessons from Iktomi the Spider God" - Atmos, 2 Oct. 2024,

https://atmos.earth/web-of-lives-lessons-from-spiders-in-indigenous-cosmology/

Eggs, Benjamin, and Dirk Sanders. “Herbivory in spiders: the importance of pollen for orb-weavers.”

PubMed, 29 Nov. 2013, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24312430/

Lowe, Elizabeth C et al. “Urbanisation at multiple scales is associated with larger size and higher fecundity

of an orb-weaving spider.” PubMed, 20 Aug. 2014, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25140809/

Mooney, James. “The First Fire.” NORTHERN CHEROKEE NATION, www.northerncherokeenation.com/the-

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