Golden Orb Weaver PreyBee Butterfly Dragonfly Fly Gecko Lizard Tail Shield Bug

Australian Golden Orb WeaverFemale Male Dimorphic Males Juvenile to Mature Female Moult Prey Web of Sex Egg Sac Web

The size of the Golden Orb-weaver Spider web, which is often strung between the branches of tree and shrubs, and even man-made structures such as poles, wires and buildings, means that they are sure to catch insect prey. Often you will see the male Golden Orb-weaver Spider hanging around when the female is dealing with a captured prey, as see here with the bee.

Male and female Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with prey, Alice Springs NT
Male and female Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with bee prey, Alice Springs NT

The European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) is one of the more common insect that gets caught in the web of the Golden Orb-weaver Spider.

Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) prey, Alice Springs NT
Young female Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) prey, Alice Springs NT
Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) prey, Alice Springs NT
Young female Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with European Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) prey, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Apis mellifera, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Apis mellifera, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Apis mellifera, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Apis mellifera, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Apis mellifera, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Apis mellifera, Alice Springs NT
Young female Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with Honey Bee (Apis mellifera)

There are of course the chance they may catch local native bees such as pictured here, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii Rayment. In the first two photos you can see the small male Golden Orb-weaver Spider making its way down the pantry line.

Trichonephila edulis with prey, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii Rayment, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii Rayment, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii Rayment, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii, Alice Springs NT
Trichonephila edulis with prey, Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii Rayment, Alice Springs NT

Additional information on Megachile deanii

Footnote & References

  1. Many thanks for species ID Megachile (Rhodomegachile) deanii Rayment to Roch Desmier de Chenon, member of Bee Aware of Your Native Bees (Australia), Facebook group, https://www.facebook.com/groups/beeawareofyournativebees/

Golden Orb Weaver PreyBee Butterfly Dragonfly Fly Gecko Lizard Tail Shield Bug

Australian Golden Orb WeaverFemale Male Dimorphic Males Juvenile to Mature Female Moult Prey Golden Orb and the Bee Golden Orb and the Butterfly Golden Orb and the Dragonfly Golden Orb and the Fly Golden Orb and the Gecko Golden Orb and the Lizard Tail Golden Orb and the Shield Bug Web of Sex Whilst She is Distracted Whilst She is Distracted Again Egg Sac Web

SpidersIndex of Spider Images Spiders in Australia Araneidae — Orb Weavers Arkys Australian Huntsman Spider Barking Spider Black House Spider Carepalxis sp Celaenia sp Crab Spiders Deinopidae — Net-casting Spiders Dolomedes sp Dolophones sp Flower Spiders Hackled Orbweavers (Uloboridae) Jewel Spider Jumping Spider Long Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha sp) Lynx Spider (Oxyopes) Mangrovia albida Maratus volans Missulena occatoria (Red-headed Mouse Spider) Miturgidae Nicodamidae (Red and Black Spider) Ogre-faced Net-casting Spider Poltys sp (Twig Spider) Redback Spider Scorpion-tailed Spider (Arachnura higginsi) Thomisidae Tiger Spider (Trichonephila plumipes) White-spotted Swift Spider (Nyssus albopunctatus) Wolf Spider