Golden Orb and the Fly

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

One of the common small prey that are caught in the Australian Golden Orb Weaver web is the fly. Hunger may dictate whether they just paralysed and wrap the fly or start consuming it straight away.

Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with prey (fly), Alice Springs NT — Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (*Trichonephila edulis*) with prey (fly), Alice Springs NT

Following is a Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider with prey fly that is subdued with a bit of venom, and then wrapped in silk, often to be moved up into the pantry line of the food. The fly is most likely a Lucilia cuprina, also known as Green Blow Fly, Greenbottle Blowfly and Australian Sheep Blowfly.

These were other flies of the same species within a metre of the fly that got caught in the web (pictured above).

When the female spider is preoccupied with a captured prey, the male spider may often show interest in the captured prey. Sometimes it may take the opportunity to mate with the female whilst she is preoccupied. Usually the male will stay just outside of the reach of the female.