Golden Orb Weaver Spider

A few years ago a Golden orb weaver (Nephila edulis) spider made her web on our deck.  She grew huge.  Her web was largely out of the way so we left her where she was, it was too high for the kids to accidentally hurt her but close enough that they could watch her doing her thing.

My kids liked watching the spider and the way she neatly organised her pretty yellow web.  Our baby was fascinated with that spider, when he was grizzly I would take him outside and he would look at the spider and calm down.

Golden orb weavers have a remarkably short life for such a large spider.  They hatch in spring, live through summer, then they lay eggs and die in the autumn.

Once or twice she disappeared and when she returned she was skinny, I assumed she had laid eggs somewhere safe.  Eventually autumn came and it was time for that beautiful spider to die.  One day she was simply gone, and we never saw her again.

The following spring a golden orb weaver made a web in our chicken run.  Given its location and the timing I imagine she was the daughter of the original spider. 

Female golden orb weaver

From time to time I would see male golden orb weaver spiders in her web.  They never lasted very long, male golden orb weaver spiders are tiny and the females tend to eat the males.

As you can see above she grew rather large and fat, this meant she was full of eggs.  Her time to lay eggs was close.

Then one day she was skinny, which meant she laid her eggs somewhere in a protective golden nest.  I looked around until I found the egg sack, it is made of golden silk.

Golden orb weaver after laying eggs

Look how skinny she was!

Golden orb weaver egg sack

I like the colour of their silk

Egg sack protected from rain etc

Golden orb weaver - everything is neat in her web

Then the spider grew large and fat again.  I hoped she may survive long enough to lay more eggs but time was against her.  Autumn was upon us and it was almost her time to die.  If frosts came early she would die, if frosts held off she would be able to lay her remaining eggs before she died.

I checked on her one day and I actually got to watch her lay her eggs!  I took some pictures towards the end of the experience, by this stage she was exhausted.

Two egg sacks

The spider died not long after laying her second egg sack.  Her time had come to an end, she climbed up over the roof and died there that afternoon.  With time her beautiful web eventually fell apart and the only reminder we have of her are her two golden egg sacks.

Now spring is here again I eagerly look at the egg sacks for signs of spiderlings hatching.  So far there has been no activity, but hatching day can't be far away.  I would love to see one hatch, but the chances are that I won't know about it until it is over.

I really hope one of her daughters takes up residence in our yard somewhere.  In order to grow so large so fast golden orb weavers catch and eat a lot of insects.  Even though they grow so large they really pose no threat to my kids, and they are a generally lovely spider.

It is almost time to hatch little spiderlings, I can hardly wait.

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Update 23/11/2019 - the baby spiders are hatching today!  Even though they were laid weeks apart both egg sacks are hatching at the same time.  There are hundreds, if not thousands, of tiny fat baby golden orb weaver spiders.  It is both really exciting and kind of creepy.  I hope at least one of them decides to stay in my yard.
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Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die".