Other Varieties of Garden and Orb Spiders

Golden Garden Spider

The Golden Garden Spider, also known as the Banana Spider, is a native to both North and South America. This spider belongs to the Araneidae family and is known for its striking appearance, with golden-yellow hues and black markings. The webs they build are primarily found in shrubs and can be up to 2 feet across. The Golden Garden Spider is not dangerous to humans or pets.

Black and Yellow Garden Spider

Similar to the Golden Garden Spider, the Black and Yellow Garden Spider is another orb-weaving spider that is known for its distinctive appearance. These spiders have an intricate black and yellow pattern on their bodies. They are commonly found in gardens and their webs can also be 2 feet across. Like the Golden Garden Spider, they are not dangerous to humans or pets.

European Garden Spider

The European Garden Spider or the Araneus diadematus is another member of the Araneidae family, native to Europe. This spider is known for its characteristic markings, which form a cross-shaped pattern on its back. They can build their webs on various plants and structures in gardens and are found across Europe. These spiders pose no threat to humans.

Banded Garden Spider

The Banded Garden Spider, like the other mentioned spiders, belongs to the Araneidae family. They exhibit stunning bands of yellow, black, and white on their bodies. Here are some key characteristics of the Banded Garden Spider:

Comparing these spiders, let’s look at a table summarizing their unique features:

Spider	Key Features
Golden Garden Spider	Golden-yellow hues, black markings, large webs
Black and Yellow Spider	Black and yellow pattern, large webs
European Garden Spider	Cross-shaped markings, variety of web locations
Banded Garden Spider	Bands of yellow, black, and white, zigzagging web patterns

As you can see, each variety of garden and orb spiders has its unique characteristics and features, making them a fascinating aspect of the world of arachnids.

Classification and Evolution

Scientific Classification

• Kingdom: Animalia
• Phylum: Arthropoda
• Class: Arachnida
• Order: Araneae
• Family: Nephilidae
• Genus: Trichonephila
• Species: T. plumipes

Evolutionary History

The orb-weaving spiders date back to the Jurassic period and make up over 25% of the known living spider species 1 . These spiders exhibit diverse web designs, with the wheel-shaped orb web being the most primitive. The Golden Silk Orb-Weaver, a representative of this group, is known for creating large and intricate webs.

Some key features of the Golden Silk Orb-Weaver include:

• Body size: Up to 3 inches long
• Distribution: Southeast United States through Argentina and Peru
• Diet: Feeds on grasshoppers, flies, and other small insects 2

The evolutionary relationship between the Golden Silk Orb-Weaver and other related species can be better understood by comparing them to the members of the Sphecidae family.

Features	Golden Silk Orb-Weaver (Nephilidae)	Sphecidae (Digger Wasps)
Body structure	Eight legs, two body segments	Six legs, three body segments
Diet	Insects	Mainly herbivores
Habitat	Forests, parks, gardens	Diverse habitats
Reproduction	Egg cases in hidden locations	Lay eggs in nests
Feeding behavior	Catch prey using webs	Forage for food

In conclusion, the Golden Silk Orb-Weaver is a unique and fascinating species with a rich evolutionary history. Studying its classification and characteristics helps us understand the diversity and complexity of the spider world.

Banana Spider Webs

The banana spiders generate asymmetric orb webs that are large. The webs can measure up to 5 feet in diameter. The spiders often remain in these webs so they have a high risk of being spotted by predators. The golden silk orb-weaver produces yellow-colored silk, that it uses to construct these webs. Strong web Golden orb Weavers

The yellow threads are conspicuous as they shine like gold when exposed to sunlight. Carotenoids, quinones and xanthureic acid contribute to this yellow color. The yellow color serves to scare away bees that are attracted to the web and also acts as camouflage for the spiders. Banana spiders can adjust their body pigment intensity to appear similar to the light intensity and color of the web.

The banana spider webs are complex and have a neatly meshed orb that is suspended in a maze of barricading webs. The webs regularly renewed since the sticky nature of the orb reduces with time.

In sunny weather conditions, adult banana spiders destroy portions of the web and rebuild. The spider devours the portion to be replaced then spins new spirals on the region to be repaired. The web normally contains repellant chemicals that serve to safeguard the web.

The golden orb weaver creates a spiral that contains three to twenty spirals incorporated in between. After weaving the coarse, the spider fills all gaps in the web, creating a manuscript paper effect when viewed in the sun. The web appears as a group of spirals that reflect light and has spaces where the spiral does not reflect light.

Interaction with Humans

Spider Silk Uses

Golden orb weavers produce golden silk which has unique properties. This silk is:

In ancient Greece, spider silk was used to make fabric. This fabric was:

Today, researchers study spider silk for potential applications such as:

• Biomedical materials
• Strong fibers for textiles
• Composite materials

Safety and Spider Bites

Golden orb weavers have venom, but their bites are usually not dangerous to humans. When threatened, they display various defenses:

• Retreating
• Dropping from the web

Comparing golden orb weavers to other spiders such as mastophora (bolas spiders):

Spider	Venom Potency	Behavior
Golden orb weaver	Low	Mostly non-aggressive
Mastophora (bolas spider)	Moderate	Aggressive when threatened

Golden orb weaver bites might cause:

If bitten, you should:

• Clean the area
• Apply ice
• Seek medical advice if symptoms worsen

Overall, golden orb weavers are fascinating creatures with potential uses for their silk. Humans should appreciate and respect their presence in our environment.