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Actual Size: 6 mm to 20 mm. Characteristics: Orange, brown, and black; very long legs. Habitat: Most abundant in summer, building large circular-shaped webs in garden areas, eaves, and shrubs around the home. Habits: Also known as garden spiders. Constructs large webs as wide as six feet in diameter.
The golden silk orb weaver (Trichonephila clavipes) is also commonly known as the banana spider in Florida. Their silk is particularly renowned for its golden hue and extreme strength among spiders (Vollrath 2000).
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]
They are one of the most common spiders in Florida citrus groves (Muma 1975). However, both species are most commonly found in shrubby meadows and along woodland edges (Evans 2008). They are also common in wooded suburban areas of cities and often between hedges and houses under overhanging eaves.
Among the several large orb weavers occurring in Florida is Eriophora ravilla (C.L. Koch 1844). Unlike similar large spiders of the genus Neoscona (Edwards 1984), E. ravilla is not a conspicuous member of the diurnal fauna during its adult stage.
Neoscona crucifera (Lucas 1839) and N. domiciliorum (Hentz 1847) are common and conspicuous members of the moist woodland communities in much of Florida. These spiders are beneficial, consuming a variety of insects.
Among the several large orb weavers occurring in Florida is Eriophora ravilla (C. L. Koch 1844). Unlike similar large spiders of the genus Neoscona (Edwards 1984), Eriophora ravilla is not a conspicuous member of the diurnal fauna during its adult stage.
