Hanging On To A Thread
by D Hackett
Title
Hanging On To A Thread
Artist
D Hackett
Medium
Photograph - Digital
Description
Hanging On To A Thread by D Hackett
Known for their impressive and durable webs, banana spiders – or golden orb-weavers – live in warmer regions of the world. Their genus name Nephila comes from Ancient Greek and translates to “fond of spinning.” The banana spider goes by many names – giant wood spider, calico spider, writing spider and silk orb-weaver spider – but these creatures are mostly harmless and can be beneficial in the garden.
The banana spider weaves big webs that are up to three feet wide. Their webs are complex, with a fine-meshed in the midst of a maze of sticky barrier webs. The reason these spiders are known as golden orb-weavers is because their web is a golden color in the sun. The color of the spider silk is believed to have two purposes: to ensnare bees who are attracted to the yellow threads, and to act as a camouflage. The yellow-colored threads blend in with the background foliage. Because they’re hard to see and usually built at eye level, these webs can be a nuisance for gardeners or flower pickers. These spiders usually build their webs at the edges of dense forests and in open woods. Some build their webs as high as the treetops, but most weave their webs in shrubs and trees at eye-level height.
Uploaded
September 23rd, 2014
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