Nephila clavipes
females as large as 50 mm
males as large as 8 mm
These are very nice photos of an orb weaver that is not found in Utah but Chris Calkins was nice enough to let me
post them on my site. Chris took the photos when she was living in South Carolina. She now lives in Layton,
Utah. The size difference in the male and female of this species is phenomenal, as you will see below:
Female
Female back side.
Tiny male approaching the female for mating possibility. He could mate or, unfortunately, be eaten.
Male spiders usually have a sequence of tapping they do with their front legs that soothes or
hypnotizes the female so they can approach them.
How cool is this photo--a mating pair! The Golden Silk Orb Weaver spins a web that has a golden cast to it, hence
the name of the spider. It is the only species of this genus in the Western Hemisphere (according to Bugguide.net)
and is only found in the Southeastern US. When disturbed, it will vibrate in its web and you can see a video
of this, taken by Chris, on Youtube. Read more about this spider on Bugguide.net. © Chris Calkins, Layton, Utah
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