Golden Orb Web SpidersGolden Orb Web Spiders are among the largest of spiders to build aerial webs. Females can have a leg span as large as a human adult hand. They are referred to as a ‘golden’ not because of the colours sometimes found on the body (that can include golden yellows), but because at the right angle the yellow silk of the web takes on a delicate golden colour. Not only is she large, so is the web. In this huge web they occasionally catch and consume, small birds. Thus, they are one of several unrelated species that are known as ’bird eating spiders’. There are often other species in the web which are mistaken for males; the ‘dew drop’ or ‘quicksilver’ of the Argyodes genus scavenge off the smaller prey caught in the web that the giant Nephila doesn’t bother with, the symbiotic ‘kleptobiotic’ relationship resulting in a cleaner web.
an exciting sex life....Most specimens of Golden Orbs observed are the females; the Nephila genus has the biggest size difference between females and males of any spiders, as the females can be anywhere between 100 to 1000 times bigger in weight than her partners. In the photograph below the small male is on top of the female. So how does he mate with her? Very carefully. He catches a prey food item, wraps it up, and puts it in front of her; while she is busy unwrapping her gift, he whips around and has sex with her quickly. Some Australian women would say this is fairly typical courtship behaviour for human male Australians, too. Just watch out for small Australian men bearing small gifts!
are they harmful to people?They catch the occasional person too! The webs are often at head height on walking tracks. I have walked into many webs and even rode my bicycle through them; this 'bird eating spider' almost always gets out of the way. Despite their alarming size, they are not dangerous. They rarely bite, but I have heard of a guide who was trying to feed one, and got bitten. The result was a nasty swelling for the weekend.
where can I find these spiders?
These spiders are common on the edge of tropical rainforest and wetter woodlands throughout northern Australia, and up through south-east Asia to India. In fact, there are relatives of these spiders throughout the tropics of the world. They are probably even more obvious in the summer wet season.
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