Do spiders make little hide-outs?

Question

There's this spider that lives in between the screen and the glass of my window. It's made this giant web behind it, and I don't disturb it... but I was wondering, aren't webs made for the purpose of catching food? I can't imagine how it would catch any flies or anything, in the spot that it's chosen. Is it possible that maybe it's hiding from predators in that little safe spot, and has another web somewhere else to catch food? Or do spiders usually only have one web?

Answer 1

Web-weaving spiders typically hang out in a corner of their web.  Often they weave a little tunnel they hang out in--or retreat to if something big (like a person) comes and looks menacing, or messes with the web.

I think spiders weave webs in front of windows for the same reason birds fly into them--they don't know the window is there.  They only know they've found a great place to build a web that's partially sheltered from the wind, and it must look like an ideal place.  Unfortunately for them it's probably a better place to take shelter than it is to set a trap.

Answer 2

Variations in web building occur with different spiders.  Webs are for both protecting the spider as well as catching prey.  Spiders build webs based on trial and error.  If they build a web that doesn't catch food they will relocate to another site.  With 4 spiders in one location I suspect you have more insects inside you screen than you thought.  If you have a light in the room that attracts insects at night the spiders may build their web inside the screen but go outside to catch their food at night.  I have a jumping spider on my kitchen widow who takes care of any critters that happen to find there way into my house.  It is not the same one, but the same species has been coming around for over 20 years.