CLOSED: What spider is this? Purple and Orange from Maurituis

manimani United Kingdom, United Kingdom Sep 29, 2010

Hello,

I went to Maurituis on Holiday and I saw so many of these spiders, if there was any trees, you could be sure to see up to five webs just by looking, their webs are on average anything from half a metre to a metre in diameter, the spiders them selves are on average half ( to two thirds) the size of an adult hand. They are purple with orange stripes (or orange with purple stripes depending on your view). Does anyone know anything about them? Are they dangerous? What are they, any information would be apprieciated.

Im sorry about the blurred photo, I was too scared to get close for a clear photo! The sun was also very bright.

Thank you

:)

Post #8127494

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Sep 29, 2010

Your image is indeed too blurry to make out any detail, but if the spider is anywhere nearly as big as you state, it just about has to be a a golden silk orb weaver (family Nephilidae) in the genus Nephila - see http://tinyurl.com/2arkkxz for an example. All of these spiders are harmless to humans.

Post #8127553

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manimani United Kingdom, United Kingdom Sep 30, 2010

Quote from suunto :

Your image is indeed too blurry to make out any detail, but if the spider is anywhere nearly as big as you state, it just about has to be a a golden silk orb weaver (family Nephilidae) in the genus Nephila - see http://tinyurl.com/2arkkxz for an example. All of these spiders are harmless to humans.

Thank you for the reply, and sorry for the blurry image, ill try to get another copy, it does look alot like the one you have mentioned so I think you have got it right!

Thank you

:)

Post #8129930

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