Silky Touch
by AnnaJo Vahle
Buy the Original Photograph
Price
Not Specified
Dimensions
20.000 x 30.000 inches
This original photograph is currently for sale. At the present time, originals are not offered for sale through the AnnaJo Vahle - Website secure checkout system. Please contact the artist directly to inquire about purchasing this original.
Click here to contact the artist.
Title
Silky Touch
Artist
AnnaJo Vahle
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
Banana Spider - Golden Silk Spider
Golden Silk Spiders Nephila clavipes --the harmless Banana Spiders. I saw this pair today at the Enchanted Forest near Titusville, Florida. They were up in the rafters of the covered deck near the museum.
Golden silk spiders are very non-aggressive. Golden Silk (Banana) spiders are the largest non tarantula spiders in North America. Here in Florida, I have seen many with bodies the size of my little finger, and leg spans of over 5 inches. They are gentle and tremendously beneficial because of all the insect pests that they eat. They often share their webs with male yellow silk spiders.
Golden Silk Spiders are consummate web builders. Their webs have a roundish or "orb" shaped center like a fishnet, and since the silk is bright yellow they are very visible. Here in Florida, a single banana spider can place a web across a 12 foot wide trail overnight. The bright yellow web, is usually about 6 - 9 feet above the ground (just in the face of horse and rider) and normally has an area from 8 to 36 square feet.
The golden silk spider is banana yellow and so are their webs; hence the name, Banana Spider. Yellow Silk Spiders are "Orb web" weavers, not wanderers.
Lady banana spider with her mate. She is the big one; he is tiny. The male will court her for days, stroking her body gently from time to time with his legs. Yellow silk spiders mate face to face upside down.
Often a lady yellow silk spider will have several suitors. She may allow them to hang out in her web for days if she has plenty of food stored to share. Lady silk spiders also don't necessarily eat their mates. Yellow silk spiders found in Florida to the Carolinas, the West Indies, Central America and into South America down to Argentina.
Uploaded
August 1st, 2013
Statistics
Viewed 670 Times - Last Visitor from Cambridge, MA on 04/16/2024 at 9:51 PM
Embed
Share
Sales Sheet
Similar Images
Comments (15)
Tessa Fairey
Magnificent macro AnnaJo! What a beautiful spider, but gives me the shivers. I am so scared of spiders - stupid really! v/f
AnnaJo Vahle replied:
Thank you, Tessa. I don't think that unwise. I admit that I am afraid of them unless I am sure that they won't hurt me. Thanks for the v/f.
Mother Nature
They are lovely and extremely beneficial. Getting "web-faced" is common for us in our woods, too, but the spiders are smaller:>) Although I wouldn't cuddle with one, I would not hurt them and the golden webs are AWESOME when the sun hits them! Lovely capture of this interesting and important creature and you've detailed in a marvelous way their part in their environment. V/F
AnnaJo Vahle replied:
Hahaha....good way to describe running into a cobweb. I've done it too often, myself. Thank you for your comment, vote and fav.
ABeautifulSky Photography
Wow Anna, fantastic macro capture of this beautiful (and scary looking) spider! f/v
AnnaJo Vahle replied:
Thank you, Bill. A friend of mine just corrected me in my description. This is two female banana spiders. The male would be even smaller and less colorful.
Isaac Richter
I read you beautiful description AnnaJo... I guess that I would try to kill them in the first place..before they change their mind about what to do about me... LOL You picture is beautiful.. really very silky. Their colors are amazing. I won't be surprise if you paint it and manage to bring all these details too...Your work is amazing!!
AnnaJo Vahle replied:
Thank you, Isaac. In fact, I did do a painting of them years ago. They are in my painting, "Enchanted Forest." I really do accidentally run into them all the time. They build their webs across many of the paths that I want to explore. I just learned to deal with them and find them quite beautiful.
Sharon Burger
so fascinating to watch, but I've unknowingly walked thru the webs in the woods... that's how I learned to dance... and scream like a girl v/f
Clotilde Espinosa
Dear AnnaJo, are you sure is harmless? We had them in my parent's house and we were sooo scare of them!! Glad to see them only in your beautiful shot!!! F/V.
AnnaJo Vahle replied:
I gather that they might bite if you are aggressive with them (hit them) but the bite isn't terribly bad. It should heal within a couple days. I have bumped into them quite a bit over the years. They can be frightening since they get so large.
Recently Viewed
