Nephila Clavipes, belonging to the golden-orb weaver family is the only species of this group to be found in the Northern and Southern parts of America. In the United States, they are alternately referred to as banana spider.
Size: These big spiders are larger than many other tarantula species. The females are approximately between 24 mm and 40 mm long, while the male spiders which have a slender body measure about 6mm.
Color: The females possess a bright color pattern, having a silver carapace, dull or tan body with spots of yellow, as well as orange bands on their legs. Their abdomen has a bright shade that gradually changes as the spider attains maturity.
On the other hand, the males have a dark brown body.
Other Characteristic Features: They have long legs alongside clumps of hair on their body, which are typical to species of their genus.
Each female spins at least 2 egg sacs on the tree having a diameter of 2.5cm to 3 cm. Each sac has hundreds of eggs enveloped in a yellow silken basket.
The spiderlings stay in the web for sometimes post their birth and then disperse to be on their own. They are of a different color in the beginning and undergo a transformation with maturity.
A mature female spider’s web has a diameter of 1mm excluding the filaments that hold it firmly between the trees. These filaments may have a length between 2mm and 3mm. The silk of their web possesses a yellow pigment that gives it a golden glow. The males enter into the webs of the female for mating.
They are not aggressive and will bite only when manhandled. Their venom is said to be non-toxic and is less severe than the sting of a bee causing localized pain with a little redness that gets cured in no time.
| Other names | Banana spider |
| Lifespan | Approximately 1 year |
| Distribution | Florida, North Carolina, throughout Central America (Mexico to the north and Panama in south) , South America as far as Argentina, and even in the eastern part of Canada (particularly in summer) |
| Habitat | In humid areas and open spaces, mostly in forest regions near trails as well as clearing edges. |
| Common Predators | Lizards, birds and other spiders |
| Diet | Flies, bees, butterflies, wasps, dragonflies, small moths, and beetles |
| IUCN | Red List (Threatened) |
Image Credits: Achetudoeregiao.com.br, Parfaitimage.com, Upload.wikimedia.org, Farm5.staticflickr.com, Bugguide.net,
Floridanature.org, Jaxshells.org
Nephila Clavipes, belonging to the golden-orb weaver family is the only species of this group to be found in the Northern and Southern parts of America. In the United States, they are alternately referred to as banana spider.
Size: These big spiders are larger than many other tarantula species. The females are approximately between 24 mm and 40 mm long, while the male spiders which have a slender body measure about 6mm.
Color: The females possess a bright color pattern, having a silver carapace, dull or tan body with spots of yellow, as well as orange bands on their legs. Their abdomen has a bright shade that gradually changes as the spider attains maturity.
On the other hand, the males have a dark brown body.
Other Characteristic Features: They have long legs alongside clumps of hair on their body, which are typical to species of their genus.
Each female spins at least 2 egg sacs on the tree having a diameter of 2.5cm to 3 cm. Each sac has hundreds of eggs enveloped in a yellow silken basket.
The spiderlings stay in the web for sometimes post their birth and then disperse to be on their own. They are of a different color in the beginning and undergo a transformation with maturity.
A mature female spider’s web has a diameter of 1mm excluding the filaments that hold it firmly between the trees. These filaments may have a length between 2mm and 3mm. The silk of their web possesses a yellow pigment that gives it a golden glow. The males enter into the webs of the female for mating.
They are not aggressive and will bite only when manhandled. Their venom is said to be non-toxic and is less severe than the sting of a bee causing localized pain with a little redness that gets cured in no time.
| Other names | Banana spider |
| Lifespan | Approximately 1 year |
| Distribution | Florida, North Carolina, throughout Central America (Mexico to the north and Panama in south) , South America as far as Argentina, and even in the eastern part of Canada (particularly in summer) |
| Habitat | In humid areas and open spaces, mostly in forest regions near trails as well as clearing edges. |
| Common Predators | Lizards, birds and other spiders |
| Diet | Flies, bees, butterflies, wasps, dragonflies, small moths, and beetles |
| IUCN | Red List (Threatened) |
Image Credits: Achetudoeregiao.com.br, Parfaitimage.com, Upload.wikimedia.org, Farm5.staticflickr.com, Bugguide.net,
Floridanature.org, Jaxshells.org
