Golden Silk Orb-weaver

Looks how to spot one

Exoskeleton

Females have a long, cylindrical body with a silvery white cephalothorax and an orange-brown abdomen marked with two rows of small white-yellow spots. Their legs are banded in dark yellow and brown, and the first, second and fourth pairs have feathery tufts of hair (gaiters) on the tibia. Males are slender, inconspicuous and dark brown.21

Personality what they are like

This spider is not aggressive and will only bite if held or pinched. Its venom is mild, causing less reaction than a bee sting. It is best left undisturbed in its web.14

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Not a pet that requires exercise. It spends most of its time in its semipermanent web, waiting for prey.4

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

No grooming needed. The main care is providing a suitable enclosure with space for a large web (up to 1 metre in diameter) and a supply of live flying insects.41

Home where they are happiest

In the wild, it builds its large, golden web at the edges of forest clearings, along trails, and across watercourses, usually 1 to 3 metres above the ground. In captivity, it needs a tall, spacious enclosure with anchor points for its web. It is not a house pest and is unlikely to be found indoors.14

Food basics what goes in the bowl

It eats a wide variety of small to medium-sized flying insects, such as flies, bees, wasps, moths, butterflies, small beetles and dragonflies.1

Company who they like around

Solitary. Males may be found in the female's web for mating, but otherwise they live alone. They are not social animals.1

The story where it all began

The golden silk orb-weaver has been known to naturalists in the southeastern United States for centuries. It is a familiar sight to hikers and hunters, who often walk into its sticky golden webs in late summer and autumn. Despite being large and striking, it is not commonly kept as a pet, though its beautiful webs and mild temperament make it an interesting species for observation. It was formerly placed in the genus Nephila but has been reclassified as Trichonephila clavipes.12

Recognised by the official bits

University of Florida IFAS Extension

Describes the golden silk spider as a large orange and brown spider with feathery tufts on its legs, well known in Florida and other southeastern states.1

LSU AgCenter

Notes the giant golden orbweaver gets its name from its large webs with yellowish threads that appear golden in sunlight.4