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Photo#508171
Driftweb Spiders, on Redwood Tree
Copyright © 2011 Scott Peden

Driftweb Spiders, on Redwood Tree
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, Santa Cruz County, California, USA
January 29, 2011
Size: 2" to 10" across
The local name for these spiders/webs on a great many of the Redwood Trees are drift web spiders, but I'm not sure if that is correct since nothing comes up in a search. These webs are wet from an evening of light mist, so are visible to the camera.

Once I had a blurry photo of one of the spiders, which are rarely found, it resembled a Sierra Dome Spider, though smaller and the web is different, and only on the redwood trees.

Images of this individual: tag all
Driftweb Spiders, on Redwood Tree Driftweb Spiders, on Redwood Tree Driftweb Spiders, on Redwood Tree
Contributed by Scott Peden on 22 April, 2011 - 11:22pm
Last updated 12 March, 2023 - 8:41pm

Moved
Moved from ID Request. I can't be sure what they are, but here in Puyallup I'd guess Neriene sp.
… Lynette Elliott, 2 May, 2011 - 6:00pm

 
I have
bunches of these Sierra Dome Spider (Neriene litigiosa) in my area, on vegetation. Once I had a photo of one of these on a redwood tree..... and can't find it. That was before I knew abut Bugguide. I've looked for years and usually when I find a spider in these webs, the photo is worthless.

Back to persistence!

And thanks for some sort of classification, I'm learning. At least I can tell people now that this is a sheetweb spider.

BTW, I was told by someone many years back that these spiders are dependent on the AM/PM Marine influence to blow insects into their webs. Any ideas where I could find a source for that?
… Scott Peden, 13 May, 2011 - 12:30am

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