Beautiful Web Builders • Common Outdoors in CT Late Summer/Fall

Orb Weaver – Connecticut Identification & Outdoor Web Guide:

Orb weavers are some of the most recognizable and visually impressive spiders in Connecticut. Known for their large, circular webs that appear overnight in gardens and on porches, these spiders are harmless and play a beneficial role in controlling flying insects.

Identification:

• Size: ¼–1 inch
• Color: Varied (orange, brown, patterned, even spiked)
• Abdomen: Often large and rounded
• Web: Large circular webs, sometimes 2–3 feet wide

Common CT species:

• Spotted orb weaver
• Marbled orb weaver
• Starbellied orb weaver

Behavior & Habitat:

Orb weavers prefer:

• Gardens
• Porches
• Siding
• Fences
• Trees and shrubs

They build new webs nightly and often sit in the center waiting for prey.

Seasonality in Connecticut:

Most orb weavers appear:

• July–October
• Peak activity in late summer and early fall
• Freeze-sensitive; die off in winter

Egg sacs overwinter and hatch in spring.

Are Orb Weavers Dangerous?

No — they are completely harmless.
They rarely enter homes, and bites are extremely uncommon.

When to Call a Professional:

Outdoor sightings are normal and do not require treatment, but heavy outdoor spider activity near entry points may justify control.

• Spider Control CT
   
• House Spider Page 
• Pest Prevention