Golden orb weaver facts
- Female golden orb weavers reach up to 5cm, not including legs. Male golden orb weavers can be tiny, with the females being up to 50 times his size.
- Hunters in New Guinea used orb spider webs as fishing nets.
- Golden orb weavers create webs up to 1 metre across.
Find out more about the golden orb weaver spider and their Madagascan cousins in our Curious Creatures video
What do golden orb weavers look like?
The Golden Orb Weavers vary in colour from red to greenish yellow, along with bright white patches on their head and body and striped legs. There distinctive colourings are a warning sign to potential predators.
What do golden orb weavers eat?
Feed mainly on flying insects, but have even been seen to catch birds.
Invertebrates at the Zoo
Emperor scorpion
One of the largest scorpions in the world, and they carry their young on it's backs when they are born.
Zookeeper diary - Team Leader, Invertebrates & Fish
Behind the scenes with our zookeeper, Dave Clarke, as he carries out important scientific and conservation work whilst caring for our animals
Madagascar orb weaver
One of the largest orb weaving spiders, which can spin webs up to 1 metre wide. The female spiders are six times bigger than the males.