Barn Spider
(Araneus cavaticus)
(found in the eastern U.S. & Canada))

A barn spider is an orb-weaving spider. It lives in barns, caves, mine openings and overhanging cliffs. The barn spider can be found around houses and barns in the northeast part of the United States and Canada. It rebuilds its web every evening and sits at the center of it at night. It usually moves above the web during the day. The barn spider eats insects. When a flying insect gets tangled in the web it rushes to the prey and wraps it up with special silk before biting it. With the insect safely packaged up it can take its time before it starts the meal. The barn spider is a common resident of the Maine countryside, where E. B. White, the author of Charlotte's Web had a farm.

Picture of barn spider

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