How to Identify Spiders (In case you want to catch them!)

A black widow perhaps?

By Jack, Nature & Games Contributor/TGS Kids’ Cavern

It’s October 1 and it’s a spidery time around our house. Check out these webs and spiders we found.

This big black spider is right outside our kitchen window. I think it’s a Black Widow because of the red spots but we didn’t try and catch it just in case! Female black widows will bite humans, especially if they are guarding their egg sac. There is no egg sac around in this web but there is a stink bug who got trapped and died a horrible, agonizing death.

And this Orb-Weaver spider got lucky and caught a katydid in its web. You can tell it’s an orb-weaver because these spiders have big, round posteriors (if you know what I mean). Here’s the best shot we could get as he was chowing down! It was all slimy and gross…and cool all at the same time.