Creature Feature #539: Orb-weaver Spider

Orb-weaver Spiders are a large Family of arachnids, named for their spiral-shaped webs.These webs are an engineering feat, created first by floating a thread on the wind to a nearby anchoring point, then securing it and making a Y shape, upon which the rest of the structure follows. Non-sticky radii are created next, enabling the spider to manouvere about her web without becoming stuck, as she adds in the adhesive layers. She thren retreats under cover and waits for insects to blunder into her web. Once captured she will bite it, paralysing it, then wrap it and store it for future consumption. Every night she eats her web and builds a fresh one.

This is an Autralian Garden Orb-weaver Spider. She comes in a variety of sizes, colours and shapes and is found in gardens all over Australia.

Not that long ago, I watched a spider succesfully subdue a bee, a complicated dance involving much darting forward and throwing silk, then dodging out of the way of her stinger. Eventually the bee weaked and the spider wrapped her up thoroughly, snipped the threads holding the bundle in place and dragged her up to store under the guttering. It was impressive to watch. Someone later suggested that I should have saved the bee - I would like to say that a, we do not interfere with nature and b, it was already pretty sluggish when I began watching the show. A short while later, someone washed our windows and destroyed the web in the process, but luckily the spider had her food and retreated into safety, thus could be back the next day to create another one.