Orb Web Spider

an Araneidae, Kenya. Photo © by Michael Plagens

Forest edge, Kakamega Forest, Kenya, Oct. 2016.

Spiders belonging to the family Araneidae build circular webs suspended between twigs or other structures and so designed to capture flying insects. For most species, the plane of the web is perpendicular to the ground. Many species, including the one shown here construct a new web each night. At dawn the web is eaten and the silk protein recycled for production of a new web after dusk.

Araneidae -- Orb Weaving Spider Family

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Kenya Natural History

Copyright Michael J. Plagens. Page created 22 March 2017