Q: I’m trying to identify spiders that are spinning webs around the outside of the house right now. One of the pictures is of his web, which may help identifying.

A: I’m guessing it’s Neoscona crucifera, a common orb-weaving garden spider.

If you are interested in identifying spiders, the shape of the web is key. Yours is spread wide, like most of us imagine spider webs to be. This is called an “orb web”. There are also funnel webs, trap door webs and some that are simply a crazy stringing of silk from point to point.

The usual name for Neoscona is “garden orb-weaving spider”….which seems pretty accurate!

Interestingly, these spiders eat their web each day. You may not see him/her again in the same spot.

Because spider webs are so common in fall, I carry a small stick with me when walking among trees in my garden. I wave the stick before me as I walk, to destroy the icky spiderwebs before I walk into them.

I find a lot of good insect and spider pictures plus their identifications here.