You may not think that you would be able to weave with spider silk, but it has been done by using the silk of this spider. With such fascinating achievements in the arts and science, what else can we learn about this species?
Physical Description and Behavior
They are fairly large spiders that have a silvery gray body, and dark brown legs with yellow stripes on them. The males are actually about 5 to 6 times smaller than the female, who is 50 mm in length.
These spiders are also toxic to humans, although a bite is not lethal. The venom is similar to that of the Black Widow spider and is a neurotoxin. However, since it is not as strong as the Black Widow, it only caused pain and blisters.
The main thing that they are known for is the fact that they weave golden silk. This has caused many artists to be fascinated by it. A few years ago it took 80 people 5 years in order to make a simple cape. That said, spider silk is extremely hard and even dangerous to harvest, and takes a long time to get enough silk to do anything with.
Habitat and Location
These spiders prefer warmer climates, so they can be found in the Southern United States, as well as all through Central and South America. Going as far down as Argentina. Some have even been found in Hawaii as well in Africa.
They often live in silk webs that they weave themselves. These webs can be anything from a few feet off the ground, to up to 65 feet in the air. They are also several feet long, and golden in appearance. This allows them to catch prey such as flies, moths, and other small insects. Although they have been seen eating small birds and even snakes that they are able to catch.
You can learn more about this fascinating spider by watching the video below!