Little Monsters - Part II: Golden Orb Weaver!
The most iconic spider web is the round orb web woven by a diverse group of spiders called Orb Web spiders. Most webs are spun in areas where there would be reasonable flying insect traffic. Typically between tree branches, or stalks of tall grass and to the hiker's delite across trails!
This colourful monster is the Jyoro Gumo (Nephila clavata) or Golden Orb Weaver. The body of the female is about 30mm! with a leg span of about 70-80mm. It is extremely common in Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China. It spins an extremely large web with the circular trap area about 1 meter in diameter! Some of the support lines can be even longer.
I am certain this family of spiders inspired the "Arachnid" alien designs from the Starship Troopers movie:
It's even got the same colours! Click to enlarge!
Like many other species of spider, there is a considerable difference in size between the male, which is much smaller, and the female spiders.
As such, mating can be very perilous for the males.
Click to see what he's up against!
The male is the smaller spider in the top right approaching while the much larger female is feeding on a dragonfly. Yes, that's a regular sized dragonfly. Spiders of the same family have been photographed eating small birds and snakes in Australia.
Another interesting fact about their web. It has three layers, the centre with the classical orb for catching prey and two other, irregular layers that serve to stabilize the web in the wind and as a warning system for the spider should birds, trying to eat the spider, or a bumbling human, bumbling, collide with the web.
Click to enlarge!
An evening sunbeam lends a sinister air to this scene.
Often bits of prey, molts and former suitors are strewn about the web, these decoys further help protect the spider from hungry birds.
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Thank you for taking time to appreciate my photography and words about the fantastic small monsters of our world!
Some details are sourced from wikipedia: Nephila clavata
I retain copyright and licensing for all images.
Fantastic shots and wonderful info! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for your support! Which would you like to see for part III, more spiders or wasps?
Both are fun, but I say spiders! :)
Spiders it is then!
Yikes! There was a big spider in my house a couple of weeks ago and I have been creeped out every since.
Hehe, it just wanted to give you a hug!
Cool photos! I like the second entry most of all!
Thanks, it does have the wonderful sweeping line of the web edge on!
How much do you typically stop down your lens for these shots?
Most of those shots were wide open at f2.8, the shot with the dragonfly was f9 for more DOF. I usually have the subject in the shade to avoid harsh shadows and blown out areas. Cloudy days are great actually!
Yep there are heaps of golden orbs here in Australia I grew up in a pretty rural area and our verandah was always covered with them, but we usually leave them alone.
They hang out in the webs and get all the bugs especially flies and mozzies, they get massive here like most spiders - but they are pretty chill nothing like the aggressive huntsmen we get they are scary.
Absolutely beautiful photos and an awesome post upvoted and followed :) I look forward to seeing what you put out next!
Australia does have a reputation for scary wildlife! The golden orb spiders are left alone here too, they're just hanging out after all. The huntsmen spiders I've seen here have been very non-aggressive, then again it rare to actually see one in the first place.
Thanks for the follow! More Little monsters coming soon!
The huntsmen here are massive and with size they grow confident lol, or perhaps I have just had some serious bad luck with them.
I will admit most of the experiences went bad, because I was either trying to get it out of the house or kill it depending on size and location.
I have literally had one a bit bigger than my hand crawl up my leg when I was in a car down the motorway going 110kmph - luckily I wasn't driving but my mum who was didn't react so well, I have never seen someone pull of the road stop and run away faster :)
Look forward to more critters - do you take shots of caterpillars? they are so trippy looking up close.
Never had one in the car, that would be a very serious situation! Yikes!
I've got some shots of caterpillars, and most things that crawl about around here. :)
Nice work! Would be nice to see a collection of dragonfly photos in upcoming posts, just a suggestion (I know it might be tough)!
Dragonflies are great! Don't worry, there will be a dragonfly post! :D
Wow amazing photos!
This one gave me the chill :)
Thank you very much @simba!