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Made world-famous by the children’s classic Charlotte’s Web, the orb spider goes by many names: the writing spider, the orb weaver, the yellow garden spider, etc. Though the famous Charlotte was technically a different species than the true writing spider, her name has become synonymous with this beautiful and artistic arachnid. Many people place orb spiders in their gardens or on their patios so they can enjoy their intricate web-building techniques and lovely black-and-yellow patterns all summer long. However, some people find this large spider creepy. And, despite their pretty appearance, these spiders can inflict a venomous bite. That means you don’t want them invading your Nashville property in large numbers – even if you find one or two in your garden pleasant.
How Many Words Can A Writing Spider Write?
Legend has it that writing spiders can lay a curse on people who disturb their webs by writing their names into the web as they reweave it. This is said to mark the cursed person for death. Other myths surrounding the writing spider include stories of spiders that curse someone if they hear their name spoken or count their teeth. Of course, these stories are only legends; writing spiders don’t actually write anybody’s name or any words at all.
The zigzagging patterns in their webs (called stabilimenta) do serve a purpose – we don’t know what it is. Several theories suggest the patterns could serve as bait to attract spider prey, provide stability to the web’s structure, or serve as a visual cue to birds, so they don’t fly through the large, aerial web and destroy it. We may never nail down the true purpose of stabilimenta, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t fun to look at.
However fun writing spiders are to look at, touching them is a different matter. Though orb spiders aren’t aggressive, they also aren’t shy about defending their webs. You may notice a writing spider shake or sway its web if you come too close. If you touch the spider or try to knock down its web with your hand, it also won’t hesitate to bite. Though orb spider bites are not dangerous to humans who don’t have an allergy to insects or arachnid venom, they can be unpleasant and cause swelling and pain in the afflicted area. People with allergies to spider venom can have a dangerous anaphylactic reaction to a bite, though this is exceedingly rare.
The Writing Spiders On The Wall
Orb spiders can be beautiful and beneficial in your garden, but inside the house is a different story. Most of the time, you have nothing to worry about. Writing spiders want to stay outside to catch flying bugs with their delicate webs. However, sometimes a writing spider may find its way indoors. This can be a particular problem if the spider is a female with an egg sac. Egg sacs can contain hundreds of eggs that all hatch simultaneously and try to disperse themselves as far as they can. One or two egg sacs hatching in your house can result in hundreds of writing spiders trapped in your home with no way to escape. This can make these spiders get a lot less pretty real fast.
If you wind up in this sticky situation, it can be hard to get unstuck. The good news is you don’t have to go it alone. Here at All-American Pest Control, we’ve been dealing with Tennessee pests for 60 years and counting. We can help kick out any eight-legged roomies currently squatting in your home – no matter what variety they are. So call us at (615) 824-8814 or visit our contact page to schedule your free home evaluation and get started on our effective pest control services.