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Hummingbirds & Spiderwebs: Nest Material & Safety

Q: A hummingbird was examining spiderwebs near my feeder. Why?
A: Female hummingbirds use spider silk to bind nest materials. Collecting it is risky—birds can become trapped and eaten. Remove webs near feeders for safety. Optionally, place a twig with some webbing nearby for the bird to collect safely.

About Gardening: Silky Webbing on Oak Tree: Harmless Bark Lice (Psocids); Spider Webs in Colorado Apartment: Funnel-Web Spiders, Not Cocoons; Massive Webbing in Tree: Tent Caterpillars, Not Spiders; Thick Webbing on Live Oak: Bark Lice (Psocids), Beneficial; Spider Mite Damage on Japanese Maple; Identifying the Black-and-Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope); Identifying the Nursery Web Spider; Fall Spider Webs in Shrubs: A Seasonal Abundance, Not an Infestation; Spider Control: Exclusion, Vacuuming, and Micro-Encapsulated Insecticides; Orb-Weaving Spider Identification: Web Shape Is Key

Garden Articles

Camel Spider in Utah: Harmless Despite Fearsome Jaws

Large Hairy Spider in Poplar Tree: Likely Wolf Spider

Controlling Spider Mites on Roses

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Schefflera Symptoms: Spider Mites or Something Else?

Spider Plant (Chlorophytum comosum): Baby Plantlets on Arching Stems

Spider Lily (Hymenocallis): Fragrant White Blooms for Warm, Bright Spots

Plants

Beneficial Spider Webs on Lawn and Bushes: No Treatment Needed

Cobweb Houseleek (Sempervivum arachnoideum): Spiderweb-Covered Hens & Chicks

Spider Lily (Lycoris radiata): The Surprise Hurricane Lily

Male Black Widow Spider: Harmless, No Hourglass

Citrus Spider Mites: The Kid-Friendly Control Project

Winter Hummingbird Feeding: Keep Feeders Out

Brown Recluse Spider in Georgia: Rare and Overdiagnosed