Golden Orb Weaver

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The female Golden Orb-Weaver (Nephila sp.) is a large spider, with golden sheen on its body, eight eyes and long slender legs. By contrast, the male is much smaller than the female. Similar to many spiders, this orb weaving spider build web made of silk, which is stronger than steel but remarkably flexible. Its web can be as large as six feet across, and it is usually constructed between two trees in the rainforest. Orb weaver spiders have a habit of making their web across trails low above the ground, but it may also be built high up in the trees. One of the characteristics of their vertical web is that it is much broader at the lower half. 

golden orb weaver, orb weaving spider, nephila spider
Golden Orb Weaver

When alerted of a trapped prey, it will immediately wrap it with silk before injecting venom-different from some other spiders that bite before wrapping their victims. Typical of spiders, the orb weaver spiders cannot feed on solid food directly. When feeding, it continuously pour out digestive juice into its prey; then, it sucks the digested internal tissue until all there is left is an empty exoskeleton.

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