"Spider web" is typically used to refer to a web that is apparently still in use (i.e. clean), whereas "cobweb" refers to abandoned (i.e. dusty) webs. However, the word "cobweb" is also used by biologists to describe the tangled three-dimensional web of some spiders of the family Theridiidae.

Are all cobwebs made by spiders?

Not all spiderwebs are cobwebs, but all cobwebs are spider webs. Well… they used to be! Typically, a cobweb is an abandoned spider web. The sticky silk of a spider web is excellent at catching insects so naturally, it's great at collecting dust.

Is every spider web different?

There are approximately 48,000 known spider species worldwide, and while all spiders have silk-producing organs, known as spinnerets, and can produce several varieties of silk, not all spiders spin webs and lie in wait for their prey.