For me, the first sign of spring is when I’m walking around and start seeing thin filaments everywhere — the little threads of silk left behind by traveling spiders. This year the first delicate threads spotted were on campus, draped over the metal signposts around the parking lots. They’re all webbed with criss-crossing strands!
I didn’t see the spiders there, not yet, just these traces. From past experience, those signs are often populated by Theridion, so I’ll keep my open for the first appearance of the little guys.
I’ve only saw gnats flying about, not a lick of silk, although I did see a jumping spider on a sidewalk last week. I expect things will be a bit different soon, we had a 90 degree day here, so those thermally regulated will likely become active again, if they’ve not already become so.
Addendum: Saw one spider in its webbing in the wrought iron fence of my apartment complex. As it was dark out, couldn’t even consider trying to ID it and photographing it was out, as I dropped and killed the display on my phone this morning.
Sign of spring; flight of swans flying overhead, honking and heading for Lapland.
I don’t even need to go outside to see evidence of spiders. I’ve had several scurry around my house the last week. Two, I scooped up in glasses, putting a piece of cardstock over the end, and carrying them outside to live their hopefully happy lives. A third was behind the curtains and seemed difficult to get at, so I left it where it was. One of the ones I caught and released scurried across the bathroom floor at me! I assume it was just coincidence and wasn’t trying to attack me, but it still startled me.
I’m not good at identifying spiders, but I think they were all grass spiders.