CLOSED: Big Spider identification needed please

Dee777 Melbourne, Australia Jan 29, 2011

Hi, I found this (for me) huge spider (approx. 15 cm including legs) in a huge horizontal and vertical! web (approx. 1 m in diameter) in the bushes close to a river.
There was also a much smaller spider, I guess the male, which size including legs was maximum as big as the body of the female excluding her head.

I am coming from Europe and I am only in Melbourne Australia for 3 months now. This is the first time that I have seen a spider this size in real life.

I would be happy, if any of you could tell me what spider it is and if it is dangerous to humans.

Thanks!

This message was edited Jan 29, 2011 8:56 PM

Post #8336348

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suunto Sinks Grove, WV Jan 29, 2011

This is a golden silk orb weaver (Nephila sp.) - see http://tinyurl.com/ao7xo3 for some examples. Once included among other orb weavers in the family Araneidae, they now are placed in a family of their own, Nephilidae. They are harmless to humans.

Post #8336480

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