Something Totally Different
So we had a minor deluge while I was outside filling cat dishes and I ducked into the carport to wait it out, as they usually don’t last more than 15 minutes. I looked up and saw a large spider in an amazing gold colored web. The spider turned out to be a Golden Silk Orbweaver [Nephila clavipes] and the female I saw was the color of old ivory with black fuzz around the joints of its legs. From the tip of a rear leg to the tip of a front leg was about 4 inches. Even in the rain the web was golden yellow against the white of the carport ceiling.
The male of the species, who I first thought was a juvenile, was a ways off and not nearly as interesting. They eat a lot of flying insects, which is fine by me.
4 comments
i once had a [more than one?] crablike spiny orb weaver take up residence on my porch. at some point, while i was traveling, my neighbors came over and swept up all the spider webs and killed the spider[s]. i’m sure they meant well, but i hated them for it.
She shifted her web today, but is really making a “killing” insect wise. I have to duck to get into the carport, but it’s fewer flies to deal with.
There was a yellow and black version of the spiny orb weaver around in the Spring in an azalea, that was really a great “paint job” and and a more traditional web.
photos! we want photos!
There are all kinds of photos on the ‘Net and the little male seems to be working up his courage. If it’s sunny I’ll see what I can do.