This impressive spider builds a large orb web to trap small flying and jumping animals. Victims are quickly wrapped in silk, subdued with a venomous bite, and then eaten. The male is relatively tiny (half-inch leg span) and short lived. Somewhat like a parasite, he feeds on small prey captured in his much larger mate’s web.
Golden Silk Spider
Nephila madagascariensis
Fact File
Where to see them: World of the Insect
Lifespan: 6 months
Ecological Role: Predator
Habitat: Tropical rainforest
Diet: Insects and small frogs
