Area of zoo
Enclosure status
Open
IUCN status
Not Evaluated
Scientific name
Nephila edulis
Order
Araneae
Type
Invertebrates
Family
Araneidae
Region
Australasia

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 

Golden orb spider at London Zoo Spider walk-through

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

Pandinus imperator

Emperor scorpion

One of the largest scorpions in the world, and they carry their young on it's backs when they are born.

3 April 2020

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

Nephila inaurata madagascariensis

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.