S
piders are not one of Kiawah’s iconic species. In fact, they
have very few fans. But our golden orb-weavers (Nephila
clavipes), aka “banana spiders,” do capture the attention of
Kiawah residents and visitors during the summer and early
fall. We literally run into their massive webs strung across trails and bike
paths where they are strategically placed to capture enormous quantities
of mosquitos and an assortment of Kiawah’s small to medium-sized
flying insects.
The golden orb-weaver gets its name from the golden color of its
silk and its massive spiral-shaped web, which may easily reach six feet
across. Loosely taking the shape of a bicycle wheel, these are considered
the strongest webs in all spiderdom. Often compared to steel and yet
extremely flexible, theirs is the crème de la crème of spider silk.
The not so itsy-bitsy banana spiders are native to the southeastern
coast. The length of the female’s oval body may be one and one-half
inches and her overall leg span around three inches. The oval shape and
color are vaguely reminiscent of an overripe banana, which may have
led to the banana spider appellation. Her long striped legs with tufts of
black hair are adapted for creating those massive webs and make her
easy to identify. Her male counterpart is a dull color and barely one-fifth
her size. One must look carefully to notice him lurking around the edges
of the web, surviving on leftovers, and staying out of the way lest he
becomes her next meal.
Spiders, large and small, are skilled hunters and fearsome predators.
Like most spiders, banana spiders do not have teeth. They immobilize
prey by wrapping it in silk and then use their hollow fangs to inject
venom. The venom contains an enzyme that renders the prey an easily
digested liquid—a spider version of the protein shake. Happily, the
banana spider shows no aggression toward humans, and its ven