38 Nebraskaland • August-September 2026
e
v e r y s e a s o n i n N e b r a s k a h a s
its markers. For me, one of the
more fascinating signs of fall isn't
the leaves or the cooler air — it's the sudden
appearance of perfectly spun spider webs
glistening with morning dew.
This time of year, walk through a field, your own
backyard, or even around the edge of a porch
light, and you'll likely spot these intricate designs.
Chances are, they are the work of an orb-weaver
spider, one of the largest families of spiders with
more than 4,700 species worldwide and named for
their iconic wheel-shaped webs.
An orb-weaver spider forms a web on a foggy
morning at Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management
Area in the Wildcat Hills of Scotts Bluff County.
JUSTIN HAAG, NEBRASKALAND
