This is no ‘incy wincy’ spider
Bets Addis has an unusual new tenant in her garden in Farrarmere, a golden orb web spider.
She said it has been in her yard for about two months and is currently based in its second web, constructed in a single night.
Nephila senegalensis is the full name of this species of spider, but it is more commonly known as the banded-legged golden orb web spider.
According to www.arachnophiliac.info and www.sabisabi.com, the large golden orb webs are often constructed between trees or bushes from up to 6m above the ground and stretch as much as 2m across.
The banded-legged golden orb web spider is so named because of the blackish legs, banded with yellow, the abdomen, which is black with yellow bands or spots and the golden colour of the female’s silk, which is incredibly strong and can even trap small birds.
The spider doesn’t always eat the prey immediately and quite often remains are strung up to form a line through the web’s centre. The reason for this is thought to be that the rotting remains attract more insects.
The spider is large and colourful and spins one of the strongest spider webs, but is non-aggressive and relatively harmless to humans.
According to www.biodiversityexplorer.org, females are large, measuring 15 to 40mm in length, while the male is only about 5mm to 9mm in size and only about 1 000th of the female’s weight.
The site also stated that Nephila senegalensis usually occurs in KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and northern regions of southern Africa, which means this Benoni arachnid is in unusual territory.
According to www.djaniwildlife.co.za, these spiders are common in southern Africa and are found in the grassland, savanna and open forest, and are frequently encountered in gardens.
On www.arc.agric.za, it stated that the spiders live for about one year and the adults are more commonly found during the summer months.
Addis said the spider and web seem to be untarnished by wind and rain; even heavy storms don’t move the spider — and she doesn’t plan to either.
“We can’t possibly kill her, or interfere at all, she’s such a beautiful creature and she’s not disturbing anyone,” said Addis.
She fears the spider won’t survive winter out of its usual habitat, but will enjoy the view of it for as long as she can.
