San Pedrillo, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica
Walking through the rainforest can bring a lot of surprises. Some of us went to a marvelous swimming hole, others climbed up a steep slope, or took a flatter trail parallel to the beach. Mammals were seen, the birding was good, huge trees, snakes, and lizards were also spotted. But sometimes, wonderful creatures are left aside. Such is the case of the largest of the orb-weaving spiders in the New World.
The webs of golden orb-spiders are easily recognized by their yellowish silk which is so strong that it was once used for gun sights. It is still used for fishing lures by coastal tribes in New Guinea. These spiders are typically found in clearings and secondary-growth areas in lowland and mid-elevation habitats.
Golden orb-spider females weigh about one gram and may be 2.5 cm long. The males are about one tenth the weight of adult females – both are shown in the picture above. Several adult males may live in the web of a single female, feeding on her prey. Aggressive interactions are common among the males. Their size does matter in their success in obtaining access to the female; the largest males get the females.
Walking through the rainforest can bring a lot of surprises. Some of us went to a marvelous swimming hole, others climbed up a steep slope, or took a flatter trail parallel to the beach. Mammals were seen, the birding was good, huge trees, snakes, and lizards were also spotted. But sometimes, wonderful creatures are left aside. Such is the case of the largest of the orb-weaving spiders in the New World.
The webs of golden orb-spiders are easily recognized by their yellowish silk which is so strong that it was once used for gun sights. It is still used for fishing lures by coastal tribes in New Guinea. These spiders are typically found in clearings and secondary-growth areas in lowland and mid-elevation habitats.
Golden orb-spider females weigh about one gram and may be 2.5 cm long. The males are about one tenth the weight of adult females – both are shown in the picture above. Several adult males may live in the web of a single female, feeding on her prey. Aggressive interactions are common among the males. Their size does matter in their success in obtaining access to the female; the largest males get the females.
