Arachnids of North Carolina
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Trichonephila clavipes - Golden Silk orbweaver     Nephilidae Members: NC Records BugGuide Account Public View
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Male
Immature
Distribution Records
PDF

Vetting Levels
Adult phenology:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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synonymNephila clavipes
taxonomic_comments
species_comment
id_comments Female has elongated yellow-orange abdomen with white spots and prosoma covered in white hairs. Male orange with black mottling. Legs with orange and black bands.
total_length Size of female 19-34 mm, male 5-8 mm.
structural_features
silk_web Female make a large (up to seven feet) orb web 2-20 feet off the ground that is a golden color. Beside the main web may be one or more barrier webs which protect her from predators. The large web lasts longer than most orb webs being repaired as needed. Most orb weavers remove and rebuild webs daily.
fld_guide_descriptions
online_photos
prey Small flying insects - flies, beetles, moths etc. - are caught in the web. The spider incapacitates them by biting. Wrapped prey is brought back to the hub of the web, which is usually off-center in the structure. This central storage of food may be a strategy to reduce theft by the kleptoparasitic Argyrodes.
predators
behavior Adults mature in through summer and fall. Several males may be courting in one female’s web.
distribution_reference
technical_reference
adult_id 1 identifiable by photo 2 identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info 3 identifiable from specimen only
abundance Common to infrequent around edge or range. Common in core of range, infrequent around edges of range as they “range” inland.
distribution_comments Coastal plain of the southeast, and moist forested habitat inland.
checklist_mt_high
>=4,000 ft.
Regular
Frequent
Infrequent
Occasional
Seldom
 Frequency
checklist_mt_low
<4,000 ft.
Regular
Frequent
Infrequent
Occasional
Seldom
checklist_pd
Piedmont
Regular
Frequent
Infrequent
Occasional
Seldom
checklist_cp
Coastal Plain
Regular
Frequent
Infrequent
Occasional
Seldom
habitat Moist forests
observation_methods
state_protection
NHP_ranks
NHP_status
status_comments

Photo Gallery for Trichonephila clavipes Golden Silk orbweaver

Recorded by: David George, Randy Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark BASINGER & Donald ZEPP
Johnston Co.
Comment: In high (ca. 2.5m), sizable web
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
Jones Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
Pamlico Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
Duplin Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
Sampson Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
Sampson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Tom Barbee
Onslow Co.
Comment: One female and one presumed male which is smaller compared to larger female.
Recorded by: Terrell Tucker
Moore Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Wilson Co.
Comment: Female
Recorded by: Colin Swann
New Hanover Co.
Comment: Ive seen these here every year for at least 3 years.		Recorded by: Colin Swann
New Hanover Co.
Comment: Ive seen these here every year for at least 3 years.
Recorded by: Colin Swann
New Hanover Co.
Comment: Ive seen these here every year for at least 3 years.		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Brunswick Co.
Comment: Young female, 10mm body length.
Recorded by: Paul C. Hart
Harnett Co.
Comment: Scurrying along forest floor		Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA - common in park @ -76.682590, 34.696099
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
Dare Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Jack V.
Beaufort Co.
Comment: my grandson Jack (8 yrs) was the first to spot this orbweaver, and he took the picture with a Canon Powershot A720 IS digital camera.		Recorded by: Mark Shields
Columbus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields
Robeson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Shields
Onslow Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: G. Schneider
Onslow Co.
Comment: HABE - Lots of females with webs at 4 to 5 feet off the ground near wet ditch near the Evergreen Trail @ -77.143823, 34.674362
Recorded by: L. Eckart
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Margo MacNair
Carteret Co.
Comment: Web extends from second floor to bushes at ground level		Recorded by: Margo MacNair
Carteret Co.
Comment: Web extends from second floor to bushes at ground level
Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
Comment: Only the 2nd specimen I know about from Cumberland Co. New spider, same location; here at Lake Rim Park where I work. I hadn't seen one here since Aug. 2014. A skinny female with a small web about 4.5 feet off the ground between some vines and small trees on an abandoned roadbed in the park adjacent to a swampy area of woods next to our nature trail. She had a dewdrop spider in her web as well. No males.
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
Comment: Only the 2nd specimen I know about from Cumberland Co. New spider, same location; here at Lake Rim Park where I work. I hadn't seen one here since Aug. 2014. A skinny female with a small web about 4.5 feet off the ground between some vines and small trees on an abandoned roadbed in the park adjacent to a swampy area of woods next to our nature trail. She had a dewdrop spider in her web as well. No males.		Recorded by: Austin Brooks
Carteret Co.
Comment: Observed building web on 26 July 2022.
Recorded by: Austin Brooks
Carteret Co.
Comment: Observed building web on 26 July 2022. 		Recorded by: M.Windsor
Onslow Co.
Comment: HABE - at 4h beside abandoned building
Recorded by: Alvin Braswell
Wake Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Owen McConnell
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Owen McConnell
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA
Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
New Hanover Co.
Comment: Feeding on Erythrodiplax minuscula (Little Blue Dragonlet)		Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther
Columbus Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA - Common on trail		Recorded by: Stephen Brey
New Hanover Co.
Comment: She reminds me of a Skulltula (From the Legend of Zelda).
Recorded by: Stephen Brey
New Hanover Co.
Comment: She reminds me of a Skulltula (From the Legend of Zelda).		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: R. Glenney
Moore Co.
Comment: WEWO - Just west of Lighter Stump trail, in opening with a dead log below. Large web built between the two nearest trees and the log. 		Recorded by: R. Newman
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Mark Basinger
Brunswick Co.
Comment: Male. 1/3 the size of female.		Recorded by: Steve Hall and Bo Sullivan
New Hanover Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
New Hanover Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
Carteret Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: K. Bischof
New Hanover Co.
Comment: CABE - Obs. along the tin transect behind the VC. 2 males, 1 female.		Recorded by: K. Bischof
New Hanover Co.
Comment: CABE - Obs. along the tin transect behind the VC. 2 males, 1 female.
Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
Comment: Possible first record for Cumberland County, North Carolina. Female. She was the only one we found in a swampy flood plain next to our creek in the park. Her web was about 6 feet above the ground between two tree trunks. We never found a male and haven't recorded the species in our area since. A scientist who studies the range expansion of this species was contacted about this particular specimen.		Recorded by: Michael P. Morales
Cumberland Co.
Comment: Possible first record for Cumberland County, North Carolina. Female. She was the only one we found in a swampy flood plain next to our creek in the park. Her web was about 6 feet above the ground between two tree trunks. We never found a male and haven't recorded the species in our area since. A scientist who studies the range expansion of this species was contacted about this particular specimen.
Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn
Brunswick Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Steve Hall and Laura Robinson
Brunswick Co.
Comment:
Recorded by: L. Garner
Bladen Co.
Comment: SILA - female found across SE boundary line next to Hwy 53 E @ -78.445473, 34.581426		Recorded by: L. Garner
Bladen Co.
Comment: SILA - female found across SE boundary line next to Hwy 53 E @ -78.445473, 34.581426
Recorded by: Adam Walker
Columbus Co.
Comment: LAWA - Big Creek 		Recorded by: Dorothy E. Pugh
Carteret Co.
Comment: THRO - On Nature Trail near the Aquarium
Recorded by: S.Bland
Onslow Co.
Comment: HABE		Recorded by: Dorothy E. Pugh and Karl D. Gottschalk
New Hanover Co.
Comment: CABE - These showed up near and across a path leading to the Fly Trap Trail, close to the parking lot.
Recorded by: Chris Helms, Jonathan Short, John Osbourne
Columbus Co.
Comment: LAWA - Female, noticable golden sheen on web.		Recorded by: Newman, Randy
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA - Two female and one male observed along fort service road behind moat pump.
Recorded by: Newman, Randy
Carteret Co.
Comment: FOMA - Two female and one male observed along fort service road behind moat pump.		Recorded by: Newman, Randy
Carteret Co.
Comment: THRO - Large specimen in web on Roosevelt Trail.
Recorded by: Newman,Randy
Carteret Co.
Comment: THRO - On Roosevelt Trail		Recorded by: Newman,Randy
Carteret Co.
Comment: THRO - On Roosevelt Trail
Recorded by: C. Vanek
Onslow Co.
Comment: HABE