Preface and background

Preface
I began informal observations of the web some months ago. It was at first a mere amusement to watch the resident spider dart back into its hole whenever the door was opened but I quickly became enthralled by the series of events that unfolded. I feel I must now share what I have witnessed. While spiders are by most considered pests (at best), I beg a moment of objectivity. There is more happening than most realize and you may be entertained, if not educated, by the results.

Disclaimer
I am no biologist. I am no expert on spiders. I can't even name the species I have observed without extensive use of Google. While I will endeavor to not assume too much, I may still need to be corrected by those with greater knowledge. Please do. Truth is important.

Background
As I said, I began informal observations of the web some months ago. My front door is recessed and covered. There is a light within the recess, mounted to the wall, that is always on at night. It is between my door and that light that the web can be found. It is approximately 13.5 inches from my door and approximately 15 inches below the light.

Judging by the size of the spider I first saw in the web and the number of insects trapped in it, this appears to be the prime territory of the area. There are other webs above and below but none rival the web of my focus. The spiders are all smaller and they are filled more with debris than insects.

The first spider I observed was large. Including its legs, it was approximately 1.5 inches across. It was skittish, retreating into the hole in the wall at the center of the web at the least disturbance. Eventually, though, I noticed it grew bolder. Even opening the door failed to scare it away. Shortly afterward, the spider molted. Its old exoskeleton remained in the web. Not but a few days later, the spider was dead. Had it died from old age? There was no way of telling. There were no signs of violence, though, as the web itself was undisturbed. If it had died of old age, had its boldness stemmed from the condition as well? Had it gotten too tired to hide? Had it developed some arachnid version of dementia? I was only left with questions.

The web remained vacant for two days. Then a new resident arrived. I noticed that the web above had been vacated and I could only assume that the new resident had relocated from there. It dragged the remains of the old resident to the entrance of the hole and the old resident's legs, after days, curled in on the body. I suspect the new resident consumed the old. The shed exoskeleton came to be suspended above the hole like some sort of foreboding citadel gate.

The new resident thrived in the web until a week ago. I returned home to find the web ruined. The dessicated remains of the old resident, as well as its exoskeleton, were damaged. Another observer reported seeing two bodies in the web (in addition to the exoskeleton) but I failed to notice the same. What could have happened? A bird? If so, bodies would not have remained. Could it have been children? The web is too high for them. Had it been the landscapers, blowing leaves from the walkway? I had before witnessed the ruinous effects of such. There remained an abundance of leaf litter, though, so it could not have been them. I was only left speculating and awaiting the next generation of residency.

There was no activity until last night. I know not whether it was the same resident or a new one. The web above is still occupied. Was it that both spiders relocated since last I looked? Had the resident just reemerged? There is no way of telling. This spider is the same size and species. The web is also being rebuilt. It is not what it once was but I have every confidence a few more generations of spiders will return it to its former glory.

And thus we arrive at the current day. I will remain vigilant in my observations and reports.