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Spider Webs, Not Snow Mold, Covered Chicago's Lawns Thursday — Here's Why

 Webs on a lawn on Thursday, June 23, 2016
Webs on a lawn on Thursday, June 23, 2016
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DNAinfo/Justin Breen

CHICAGO — Wednesday's downpours made for ideal conditions for countless spider webs to appear all over Chicago lawns.

The webs are already there but difficult to see with the naked eye unless there's moisture on the ground, according to Allen Lawrance, the Invertebrate Specialist at Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum.

"These webs are incredibly common and can be found in most lawns," Lawrance said. "They become more visible when dew drops collect on the surface of the webs."

Lawrance said if you look close enough, you may see an area where the webs narrow and form a little tunnel, which is where the spider is usually hiding. The spider will hang out until it feels vibrations on the web, alerting the spider to nearby prey.

"They're out almost year round in lawns and bushes, just more visible at the moment with the condensation collecting on the webs," Lawrance said.

Lawrance said several spider species make the webs on the lawns.

The webs are not snow mold, which is a type of fungus that can be easily removed by raking the grass.

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