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Trichonephila clavipes (formerly known as Nephila clavipes), commonly known as the golden silk orb-weaver, golden silk spider, golden orb weaver spider or colloquially banana spider (a name shared with several others), is an orb-weaving spider species which inhabits forests and wooded areas ranging from the southern US to Argentina. [3]
The golden silk orb-weaver is named for the yellow color of the spider silk used to construct these webs. Yellow threads of their web shine like gold in sunlight. Carotenoids are the main contributors to this yellow color, but xanthurenic acid , two quinones , and an unknown compound may also aid in the color. [ 3 ]
Trichonephila can be found living in Africa, Oceania, Asia, Central America, the West Indies, South America, and the US' southeastern region and gulf states. [4] [5] These spiders like to make webs where prey is fruitful, often in open wooded areas, between tree branches, shrubs, tall grasses, and around light fixtures.
Golden silk orbweavers prefer to weave their webs in locations that are on a slight incline as opposed to a location that provides a more vertical set-up, which is common among orb-weaving spiders.
Golden silk orbweavers prefer to weave their webs in locations that are on a slight incline as opposed to a location that provides a more vertical set-up, which is common among orb-weaving spiders.
The golden silk orb-weaver is named for the yellow color of the spider silk used to construct these webs. Yellow threads of their web shine like gold in sunlight. Carotenoids are the main contributors to this yellow color, but xanthurenic acid , two quinones , and an unknown compound may also aid in the color. [ 14 ]
Uhl, G. & Vollrath, F (2000). Extreme body size variability in the golden silk spider (Nephila edulis) does not extend to genitalia. J. Zool. Lond. 251:7-14 PDF; Vollrath, Fritz; Madsen, Bo & Shao, Zhengzhong (2001). "The effect of spinning conditions on the mechanics of a spider's dragline silk". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London.
Trichonephila clavata pass winter as eggs and scatter as tiny juveniles in the spring. Like most spiders, females are much larger than males. Like most spiders, females are much larger than males. The adult female's body size is 17–25 millimetres (0.67–0.98 in) while the male's is 7–10 millimetres (0.28–0.39 in).