The golden orb spider is an areneomorph spider, part of the genus Nephilia. The golden orb spider’s suborder is best known for the impressive webs that they weave. Nephilia consist of numerous species all around the world. We are interested in this spider due to the amazing properties of it’s silk and the possible applications thereof.
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Golden orb spider's egg sac wrapped in golden silk
Mating
In the golden orb spider weaving group, it is very common for tiny male spiders to sit on the edge of the female’s web waiting for a mating opportunity to occur. After mating, the female wraps her eggs in a sac of golden silk, which is then hidden away in the foliage, usually wrapped in leaves or twigs.
Habitat
Golden orb spiders are normally found in dry open forest and
woodlands, coastal sand dune shrubland, and mangrove
habitats.
All orb weaving spiders make suspended, sticky, wheel shaped orb
webs. The webs are placed in openings between trees and shrubs where insects are
more likely to fly.
Feeding and diet
Golden orb weaving spiders prey includes flies, beetles, locusts, wood mouths, and
cicadas. Sometimes there strong webs are even able to trap small birds or bats
which the golden orb spider will sometimes wrap them and feed about
them.
Other adaptations
The golden orb weaving spider builds large, semi-permanent orb webs. The
strong silk has a golden sheen. These spiders remain in their webs day and night
and gain some protection from bird attacks by the presence of a “barrier
network”of threads on one or both sides of the
web.
In the golden orb spider weaving group, it is very common for tiny male spiders to sit on the edge of the female’s web waiting for a mating opportunity to occur. After mating, the female wraps her eggs in a sac of golden silk, which is then hidden away in the foliage, usually wrapped in leaves or twigs.
Habitat
Golden orb spiders are normally found in dry open forest and
woodlands, coastal sand dune shrubland, and mangrove
habitats.
All orb weaving spiders make suspended, sticky, wheel shaped orb
webs. The webs are placed in openings between trees and shrubs where insects are
more likely to fly.
Feeding and diet
Golden orb weaving spiders prey includes flies, beetles, locusts, wood mouths, and
cicadas. Sometimes there strong webs are even able to trap small birds or bats
which the golden orb spider will sometimes wrap them and feed about
them.
Other adaptations
The golden orb weaving spider builds large, semi-permanent orb webs. The
strong silk has a golden sheen. These spiders remain in their webs day and night
and gain some protection from bird attacks by the presence of a “barrier
network”of threads on one or both sides of the
web.