Thistle down and spider floss,
Cattail, lichen, leaf, and moss—
That’s what hummingbird nests are made of.

Camouflaged to look like a knot on a limb, the nest of a ruby-throated hummingbird starts out a tiny thing, just big enough for two or three jellybean-sized eggs. But as the wee hatchlings grow, so too does the nest, thanks to its its key construction material: spider web. Without the ruby-red gorget that sets apart the males, females are nearly invisible on the nest. Just don’t come between her and her brood—she may be tiny, but she is fierce.