Golden Silk Orb Weaver Spider

Hard to believe it was 6 months ago my little spider pic got me the nat geo nod! Love this shot of a small male on the belly of the large female mating in the web!

The banana spider — Nephila clavipes — is a large, brightly colored species of spider native to the warmer regions of the Americas. The spider is often recognized by its large webs — which often feature zigzag patterns — and its distinctive coloring. It is most commonly found in swampy regions and near the coasts, and is also known by its common name — the golden silk orb weaver spider. In general though, all of the spiders of the genus Nephilia are known as banana spiders, not just Nephila clavipes.

And while in the region that I live in “banana spiders” are all from the genus Nephilia, the name “banana spider” actually refers to a number of different types of spider, depending on the region: the golden silk orb weaver, a type of spider native to the Western Pacific known as Argiope appensa, and also the Brazilian wandering spider. This article will be focused solely on the golden silk orb-weaver though.

http://planetsave.com/2013/06/14/banana-...

Thank you Sukanya

Congratulations!

Thank you lhankin I am honored and have no objection

Congratulations! We would like to highlight this photo as National Geographic’s Great Nature Project Pic of the Day! It will be featured in the lower left corner on The Great Nature Project website, as well as on NG Education Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ accounts.

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