![\"Female](\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-8556.jpg\" "\\"Female")
Female Western Spotted Orbweaver in her web – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/250, ISO 400, -1.0 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\nToday is the day for SpiderFest on Antelope Island State Park<\/span><\/a>, a celebration of the interesting spiders that live on the island. Experts from the Natural History Museum of Utah and Hogle Zoo will be joining park staff members to help educate visitors about all the spiders on the island and it is kid friendly!<\/p>\n Around July the spiders on the island become more noticeable and by August you can find them and their webs all over the place. The spiders I see most often on Antelope Island are Western Spotted Orbweavers and I love to photograph them. They were the first spiders I photographed on the island and that was before I even moved to Utah.<\/p>\n Female Western Spotted Orbweavers are large, about 11-17 millimeters in body length. I see the females more often than I see males but perhaps that is because they are larger and more visible.<\/p>\n Each Western Spotted Orbweaver has a unique pattern of dorsal spots but the ventral spots are very much alike.<\/p>\n Female Western Spotted Orbweavers create a silken sac to lay her eggs in and the spiderlings will remain in that sac until the next year and when it warms up they will emerge. Adult Western Spotted Orbweavers\u00a0 do not overwinter.<\/p>\n Male Western Spotted Orbweavers are smaller than females, they are about 5-12 millimeters in body length and their abdomens are smaller than the abdomens of females too.<\/p>\n So why am I interested in these spiders even though I am a bird photographer? Well, I think they are beautiful, fascinating creatures but when you think about it….<\/p>\n They are also bird food.<\/p>\n Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n Mia<\/p>\n Click here<\/a><\/span> to see more of my Western Spotted Orbweaver photos and here<\/span><\/a> to see more of my insect and spider galleries.<\/p>\n Local friends, there is no additional cost for the SpiderFest event but normal park fees still apply. The event hours are 10 am to 4 pm.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Today is the day for SpiderFest on Antelope Island State Park, a celebration of the interesting spiders that live on the island.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":172375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[511,1022,26,1174],"tags":[4070,4062,2378,6019,5987,3901,2381,5986,4293,102],"class_list":["post-47976","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-antelope-island-state-park","category-davis-county-utah","category-utah","category-western-spotted-orbweaver","tag-female","tag-male","tag-neoscona-oaxacensis","tag-orb-weaver","tag-orbweavers","tag-spider","tag-spiders","tag-web","tag-western-spotted-orbweaver","tag-wildlife"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-8556.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-ctO","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":26656,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/07\/13\/antelope-island-is-becoming-spiderific\/","url_meta":{"origin":47976,"position":0},"title":"Antelope Island is becoming Spiderific!","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 13, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Antelope Island State Park's Spider Festival is just a few weeks away and the spiders and their webs are already making an appearance.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Dark Female Western Spotted Orbweaver, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-4651.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-4651.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-4651.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-4651.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":27037,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2015\/08\/02\/the-antelope-island-spiders-an-important-part-of-the-food-web\/","url_meta":{"origin":47976,"position":1},"title":"Antelope Island Spiders – An Important Part of the Food Web","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"August 2, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"This coming Saturday, August 8, 2015, is the date 0f the annual Spider Festival on Antelope Island State Park and there should be plenty of spiders to be seen, almost a bumper crop of them!","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Western Spotted Orbweaver with a bunch of captured Brine Flies, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-8000.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-8000.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-8000.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-8000.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53031,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/07\/10\/spiders-of-antelope-island-they-arent-so-creepy\/","url_meta":{"origin":47976,"position":2},"title":"Spiders Of Antelope Island – They Aren’t So Creepy","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 10, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Every year in August Antelope Island has a SpiderFest where there are walks and talks about the spiders of that live on the island, I love photographing them and they really aren't so creepy as they seem to be.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Western Spotted Orbweaver and friend, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Western-spotted-orbweaver-female-mia-mcpherson-6667.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Western-spotted-orbweaver-female-mia-mcpherson-6667.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Western-spotted-orbweaver-female-mia-mcpherson-6667.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Western-spotted-orbweaver-female-mia-mcpherson-6667.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":92025,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2021\/07\/11\/antelope-island-spider-fest-2021\/","url_meta":{"origin":47976,"position":3},"title":"Antelope Island Spider Fest 2021","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 11, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"The Antelope Island Spider Fest starts on August 2, 2021 and continues through August 7, 2021 this year.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Western Spotted Orbweaver in her web next to the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-and-web-mia-mcpherson-8398.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-and-web-mia-mcpherson-8398.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-and-web-mia-mcpherson-8398.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-and-web-mia-mcpherson-8398.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":59209,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/07\/27\/celebrate-the-spiders-of-antelope-island-spider-fest-on-august-3-2019\/","url_meta":{"origin":47976,"position":4},"title":"Celebrate The Spiders Of Antelope Island – Spider Fest On August 3, 2019","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"July 27, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"Mark your calendars because there is a yearly Spider Festival on Antelope Island State Park and this year the festival is being held next Saturday on August 3, 2019.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Female Western Spotted Orbweaver with her prey, Antelope Island State Park, Davis County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-prey-mia-mcpherson-6014.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-prey-mia-mcpherson-6014.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-prey-mia-mcpherson-6014.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-prey-mia-mcpherson-6014.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10036,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2013\/10\/31\/creepy-crawly-spiders-for-halloween\/","url_meta":{"origin":47976,"position":5},"title":"Creepy Crawly Spiders for Halloween","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"October 31, 2013","format":false,"excerpt":"First, I want to admit something. I don't think spiders are creepy or crawly. They do crawl at times but I think they are beautiful creatures.","rel":"","context":"In "Antelope Island State Park"","block_context":{"text":"Antelope Island State Park","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/antelope-island-state-park\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Mabel Orchard Orbweaver and web, Sawgrass Lake Park, Pinellas County, Florida","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mabel-Orchard-Orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-1370.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mabel-Orchard-Orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-1370.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mabel-Orchard-Orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-1370.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Mabel-Orchard-Orbweaver-mia-mcpherson-1370.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47976","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=47976"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/47976\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/172375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=47976"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=47976"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=47976"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Female](\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-female-mia-mcpherson-6001.jpg\" "\\"Female")
Female Western Spotted Orbweaver side view – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1000, ISO 500, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n![\"Western](\"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/western-spotted-orbweaver-male-mia-mcpherson-6683.jpg\" "\\"Western")
Western Spotted Orbweaver male – Nikon D500, f8, 1\/1250, ISO 500, -0.7 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light<\/span><\/p>\n