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Golden Silk Orb-weaver (female)

Nephila edulis

Description:

This female Golden Silk Orb-weaver is the size of my hand. They are the largest spider species found in the Brisbane area and are common in bushland areas and gardens. They build very large and strong yellow silk orb webs which are vertical or slightly inclined, usually high above the ground. Their common name refers to the colour of the spider silk, not the colour of the spider itself. They are reluctant biters but will deliver a nasty bite if provoked. Nephila spiders are the oldest surviving genus of spiders, with a fossilized specimen known from 165 million years ago. Sizes of 4.8 - 5.1 cm (1.5 – 2 in) in females, not including legspan, with males being usually 2/3 smaller (less than 2.5 cm, 1 in). The largest specimen ever recorded was a 6.9 cm (2.7 in) female N. clavipes (which is now debated to have been a new yet undocumented subspecies) from Queensland, that was able to catch and feed on a small-sized finch. Here's the male - https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/23...

Habitat:

Common in bushland areas and gardens. These were in my backyard - some webs between large trees, others between large shrubs, and yet others suspended from the clothes line.

Notes:

These photos were taken after heavy morning dew just after sunrise. The 2nd photo is of the male Golden Silk Orb-weaver, the female at the rear, which by comparison is huge! No wonder he's in his own little web. I would estimate that there were close to 100 spiders in my backyard in the Summer of 2011/12, and webs were everywhere! The 3rd photo in this series >>> Stick your finger in there - I dare you! A beautiful female lies in wait high up in the mango tree. This was an early morning shot and the sun was just starting to peak over the horizon. The light was gently filtering through the foliage onto the web which is still heavy with morning dew. I haven't done much to enhance this photo other than rotate it, saturate the colours, some gentle sharpening and contrast adjustments. Once again, grain noise was the biggest problem - always an issue with a small pocket camera in soft-light conditions.

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8 Comments

SachindraUmesh
SachindraUmesh 10 years ago

Epic shots!! especially the 3rd one!!!!!! super wow!!

MuditaPro
MuditaPro 10 years ago

Tremendous shots! Well done.

ccm8
ccm8 10 years ago

thats kinda scarry looking!

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 10 years ago

Great pics - love the web addition - that's important :)

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 10 years ago

Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne (spend some time at Maleny, Qld though :) Sometimes the PN server can't immediately verify the link of a reference... try hitting save again a couple of times... if it keeps failing add the ref into the notes area.

naross
naross 10 years ago

Face-first into the webs - tell me about it! I have a love/hate relationship with a big Garden Orb near my back stairs. Also... can you tell me what format to use to add a reference. It keeps rejecting me :-(

naross
naross 10 years ago

You're absolutely right, mate. Thanks for that. Your support is always appreciated. Whereabouts in Aus are you?

Mark Ridgway
Mark Ridgway 10 years ago

Hi Neil. Maybe not clavipes or plumipes... maybe edulis http://www.brisbaneinsects.com/brisbane_...
These things drive me crazy in Brisbane - always going face-first into the webs at night :)

Neil Ross
Spotted by
Neil Ross

Brisbane, QLD, Australia

Spotted on Feb 2, 2011
Submitted on Apr 24, 2013

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