Nephila edulis: 2 – Tiny Satellite Male

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, male dwarfed by the female

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, male dwarfed by the female

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, male dwarfed by the female

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, male (just visible) dwarfed by the female

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver
Male and Female
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Araneomorphae
Family: Nephilidae
Dulwich garden – April 24th, 2014 – sunny, pleasant conditions

South-Australia-Natureteers-Spider-Araneae-Nephilidae-Nephila-edulis_male-female_1

Photos & Test: Michal Dutkiewicz
Many species of spiders show sexual dimorphism of this degree. The male stays over the other side of the web, and only zips over quickly to mate – He stays nearby though, usually on that other side, near her rear end, often hiding in the clutter of hollowed-out body parts of various parts of insects – I accidentally took some shots featuring the male. I thought I was looking at a blurry shot of the female until I saw the male in the foreground, and I then rushed outside when I noticed I had captured a shot of the male and took more and better shots – Photographing the Nephila was something I would do about once or twice a week – The male and female don’t even look like the same species!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephila_edulis

Nephila edulis: 1 – Female and Nest

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, tending her nest

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, tending her nest

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, tending her nest

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, tending her nest

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver, tending her nest

Nephila edulis aka Golden Silk Orb Weaver
Female and nest
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Araneomorphae
Family: Nephilidae
Dulwich garden – April 24th, 2014 – sunny, pleasant conditions

Photos & Test: Michal Dutkiewicz

Usually, I would see this female Orb Weaver in the centre of her nest, but was surprised one afternoon to come out and see she wasn’t in that position. After a moment of concerned searching, I saw her on a nearby branch, above and to one side of the web, making final touches to a yellowish, matted nest of spider silk and various forms of organic litter. Since then, the web was interfered with by someone, and she disappeared, but I am hoping some of the young have survived.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephila_edulis