Along the hiking trails or forests of Hong Kong⛰️ and many other regions of Asia such as Okinawa, Taiwan, and Malaysia, you make come with a close encounter, sometimes maybe too close for your taste, of today’s species. The size and appearance of this spider is so distinctive that it barely needs an introduction. And yet, as you keep reading these lines you may realize how little you knew about this « gentle » giant. The Giant golden orb weaver, 𝘕𝘦𝘱𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢 𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘱𝘦𝘴 (Fabricius, 1793) is often noticed for the massive webs it builds, some potentially obstructing your path 🚫.
The species prefers damp habitats without direct sunlight and can survive in various climates🗺️, including temperate coastal, Mediterranean, subtropical, and tropical grassland climates. When exposed to sunlight, individuals risk overheating. Fortunately, they have developed several strategies to cool down and limit exposition. First they will do a little dance to regulate their body temperature. Then, they will adjust their body angle to minimize the heat they receive from the sun🥵.
Giant golden orb weavers, like all spiders, have four pairs of legs and up front a pair of pedipalps attached to their cephalothorax; the part of the body that includes the head and chest. One of its most fascinating characteristics is the extreme sexual dimorphism observed in this species. The females are the second-largest orb-weaving spiders in the world, which as adults have a body reaching 50 mm, as long as a thumb; and mature females will continue to molt and grow📈. On the other hand, the males don't grow beyond a measly 10 mm, about the size of a fingernail. Therefore, it becomes the terrestrial animal with the largest size difference between sexes, as the weight of females is 30 times that of male spiders. Female’s heads have a distinct yellow-black🟡⚫️ "face" pattern. Their abdomen has yellow-black longitudinal stripes and yellow spots on the ventral side, some have a completely black appearance throughout their whole body.🕷️. The distinguishing features of males include their orange-red body and legs🦿, as well as well-developed pedipalps resembling black boxing gloves✊🏿.
The webs of Giant Golden Orb Weavers are the largest in the world. The female constructs vertical and irregular webs🕸️. Their silk strands of their webs are thick and strong, allowing them to capture insects, but also small vertebrates like bats, lizards, and even snakes🐍. Imagine stumbling upon a spider web big enough to trap a snake. That's a whole new level of spider power, like SpiderWooman! The females prefer to wait in the center of their own webs for prey to come to them. When the stickiness of the web decreases, they will rebuild a new one🧶. Like other orb-weaving spiders, Giant golden orb weaver has venom glands that inject venom through their fangs to immobilize their prey😵, although the venom does not pose a significant threat to humans. So even if they end up on you, no worries, except maybe for a little scare.
While waiting for prey, Giant golden orb weaver spreads its eight legs apart, but if approached by a predator, it will retract the leg joints of the first and second pairs in a defensive posture. Once a prey is ensnared, the spider rapidly wraps it in silk before consuming it. The spider injects venom to paralyze the victim and then injects digestive fluids to break down the soft tissues, sucking up the resulting liquid. Interestingly, if a prey accidentally died on their web, the spider won't bother having it for dinner. The trapped preys are all about fresh and nutritious meals, no leftovers for these fancy eaters💔.
On the webs of these "face" spiders, in addition to the large female spider, one can often find several small red spiders living together. These smaller male spiders move cautiously on the web, fearing that any sudden movement might alert the larger spider and make them a potential snack🍬. In fact, the purpose of their presence on the same web is to seek opportunities for mating. Therefore, it is common to find two or more male spiders waiting on the same web to mate with the female or to feed on the leftovers from the female's meals. The male spider descends slowly on its silk thread onto the female's back. When it reaches the female's abdomen, it uses the tip of its palps to tap the female's genital opening and transfer sperm. However, there is also a possibility that the male spider may be eaten by the female after mating🍽️.
The brightly colored Giant golden orb weaver 🎨 captures far more insects than their sisters in black🕷️. Its vivid color patterns make it particularly conspicuous in the open environments at the edges of the jungle, increasing its hunting success rate by providing attractive visual signals to its prey💐. The high color contrast of these bright markings creates a signal that many insects associate with food resources such as flowers🌼 and fresh leaves, attracting bees and other insects to unwittingly become entangled in its web.
Despite their intimidating appearance👹, N. pilipes is timid and gentle🧐, and they help control many insects, making them beneficial creatures👍🏻. Therefore, it is important not to kill them just because they may seem scary. Visit the Hong Kong Biodiversity Museum to learn more about these fascinating and helpful creatures with their unique and eerie faces! 🧹 Who knows, you might even end up with a newfound appreciation for these eight-legged giants !
Text: Gemini
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