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 There are many types of "Orb web" spiders, in fact
any spider that spins an orb-shaped web may be classified as an "orb web weaver". These include the Golden Orb-weaver spiders, St Andrew's Cross
spiders, Wraparound spiders and many garden spiders. The female Golden Orb-weaver may be as large as 45mm but the male is tiny, only about 6mm in length.  These
spiders often live in gardens and are harmless to man. A female's web is made of strong golden silk which may spread up to 1m across and may snare a small
bird or bat.
The wheel shaped orb web is the ultimate use of silk to catch prey. When a victim blunders into the web, it is snared by the silky threads. The
spider, on feeling the vibrations, quickly trusses it up in silk to prevent it tearing the web. A male Orb web spider may announce his presence to the female
by plucking the strands of the web. Many small spiders such as Dewdrop spiders live on a Golden Orb-weavers web, eating any left-over insects that are too
small for the Orb weaver.
 When a spider moves on the web, it holds the silk with
claw-like bristles on its legs. Oil on its body prevents the spider from sticking to the web. Moths are somewhat protected from the webs also by scales on
their bodies which prevent it sticking to the web. The garden spiders in these pictures, hide in the garden in the daytime and rest in their webs at night.
St Andrew's Cross Spiders: The St Andrew's Cross spider is harmless to man. The
cross on which it rests adds strength to the web. If a female St Andrew's Cross spider is disturbed, she will grasp her web and shake it vigorously.
 Wraparound
spiders: Wraparound spiders have broad, flat abdomens. They also remain hidden during the day and spin orb webs at night to catch insects. The Wraparound spider in this picture has a turret shaped abdomen which looks like a broken off twig, to conceal it during the day.
 Golden
Orb Weavers (Nephila edulis FAMILY TETRAGNATHIDAE):
These are golden orb weavers, one of the largest spiders found in Australia. Their webs can be found hanging off sign posts, in or between trees and can
even be spotted driving in a vehicle. The Golden Orb Web
Spider is the largest spider species that we found in Brisbane. They are
common in bushes and gardens. They build very large and strong yellow
silk orb webs which are vertical or slightly inclined. Under the sun
their webs are golden in colour. The Golden Orb Web Spider is diurnal
spider and the females are large while the males are only about 1/10 of
the female size.
The females can measure up to 45 mm while the smaller males measure only 6 mm. The male is often found in the web of
the female.
The
spider is brown to dark brown in colour. Their first, second and fourth
pairs of legs have a
 brush of bristles on the tibia. The third pair of
legs is the shortest with no brush. The abdomen is long oval shaped and
is yellow with grey or brown patterns. The spider feeds on insects
caught in the web.
The head is covered with silver hairs. The fangs are large and strong.
The body is uniform yellow brown to silver grey. The legs are long and
black with yellow joints and can span the width of an average adult
hand.
Beside the male
and the female, boarders resides in the web. They are called droplets because their silvery body shines like drops of water in the sun. The web has a
golden colour which gives them their name.
(Information and pics from Ed Nieuwenhuys, Ronald Loggen 1997 Copyright ã 1997. Used with permission.)
Information
and pictures were taken from children's projects and where credited to that
child does not claim to be original information. Where possible, permission
to reproduce has been sought. Any infringement of copyright is purely
unintentional.
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