Banana Spiders

Banana Spiders or the ‘Nephila Clavipes’ are also known as the ‘Golden Orb Weavers’ or ‘Writing Spiders’.

The word ‘Nephila’ is derived from Ancient Greek, which means ‘love to spin’.

Identifying Spiders: Banana Spiders

These spiders are often referred to as ‘Banana Spiders’ because of their yellow colored bodies. Their legs are long and hairy.

These Banana Spiders can often be confused with the Brazilian Wandering Spider. Their body is also yellow in color with a blackish fuzzy head, but their size is bigger than the common Banana Spider and their venom is poisonous.

The Banana Spiders are known for the impressive webs that they weave. The yellow threads of their webs shine with a golden color in the sun. This helps them to snare their prey such as bees that are attracted to the color.

These webs are quite complex. There is an orb in the center suspended in a maze of non-sticky barrier webs. The orb is renewed regularly as the stickiness decreases. The portion of the web which is removed to be renewed is often consumed by these Banana Spiders.

Banana Spiders: Where Are They Found

Banana Spiders in the USA are usually found in the coastal southeast and inland, from North Carolina to Texas.

They prefer coastal and swampy areas, open habitats and forest edges. They also seem to like fences and building overhangs.

Banana Spiders: Life of Banana Spiders

The female of the species is about 3 inches long, while the male is about ½ an inch long.

From time to time, these spiders molt and shed their skin.

A female Banana Spider has 2 insemination ducts, each ending in a sperm storage organ. The male Banana Spider has 3 penises. All of them break off during sex.

Mating usually occurs when a female has freshly molted. In this case, a dominant male has been around the female before she molts. He mates with her after she molts.

Young spiders do not begin to weave the golden web right away.

All the Banana Spiders have been observed to have a great fear of cockroaches.

Banana Spiders: Bites and Treatment

Banana Spider bites are not poisonous. The bite usually causes pain and redness with swelling and blisters. Usually, it is naturally healed within 24 hours. The bite mark may remain.