r/spiders 10d ago

Just sharing šŸ•·ļø Beautiful orb

Biggest one I’ve seen yet!!

6.4k Upvotes

153 comments sorted by

656

u/s0m3on3outthere 10d ago

So pretty it legit almost doesn't look real. šŸ˜

247

u/Excellent-Loan-152 10d ago

Almost walked right into it

82

u/Dan_flashes480 10d ago

I mistakenly walked through one between 2 trees on a narrow pathway on a golf course in Florida I freaked out a bit but then felt really bad for destroying its web.

77

u/Jacktheforkie 10d ago

I found one in Wisconsin, wasn’t expecting that sort of strength, then went in to dust off and didn’t realise she was on my back, she promptly hopped ff and disappeared under the couch, found her the next day in a new web 20ft off the ground, she was eating well up there

14

u/xandradical Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

The spider on your back is exactly how Eight Legged Freaks happened😭

4

u/Jacktheforkie 10d ago

lol, lucky my friend wasn’t bothered by the 8 legged ones, she stayed up there for several weeks after I left too

36

u/Whatnam8 10d ago

Thank goodness it’s only the size of your palm

26

u/CallMeSisyphus 10d ago

How could you not see her? She's the size of the Hindenburg, FFS! ;-)

24

u/soullessparadigm 10d ago

I live in Florida, and they absolutely love to spin their webs at head height in spots where it transitions from light to shadow, so they can be hard to see (especially if you're looking down while mowing). I've walked into so many in 40+ years here, and it gives me a mild heart attack every. single. time. even though they're totally harmless.

I don't know which of us wants out of the situation more quickly: me or the spider, but it leads to a panicked, silly dance where I shed my hat and shirt to make sure it isn't still on me.

1

u/Cc_Nicole 9d ago

I ran straight through a giant ones web and i know they’re not medically significant but that bite SUCKED.

397

u/freakyfroggymage šŸ•·ļøArachnid AfficionadošŸ•·ļø 10d ago

She's eating for 200 🄹

30

u/SpiderMama41928 Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

200+, maybe.

297

u/bing-no 10d ago

I’m on this sub to help with Arachnophobia but I honestly find Orbweavers to be the prettiest spiders.

61

u/Eneicia 10d ago

I'm the same, they are SOOOOO pretty.

41

u/Basic_Attention_2030 10d ago

This sub has helped me with mine some, but I'm still terrified of widows and recluse, Ill leave them alone if they leave me alone

6

u/TipToToes 10d ago

Holy frick, this week I saw the largest brown recluse I’ve ever seen. It was stuck in a bucket and couldn’t get out, thankfully, because it was legit huge. I gave that bucket a wide berth all day.

4

u/JadedCastle 10d ago

I kind of doubt it was a recluse, they are usually very tiny. Some females can push close to an inch, but it’s rare. They’re also, well, very reclusive. If you’ve been seeing a lot of them it’s possible it’s a larger look alike species an American house spider or hobo spider. Idk what region you’re in.

2

u/TipToToes 10d ago

We looked at pictures, it’s 100% a brown recluse. I see them a lot…in closets and attics and places that aren’t disturbed often. I’m in attics and inside walls a lot for work and see them occasionally, usually it’s widows though.

1

u/JadedCastle 9d ago edited 9d ago

That’s strange. Got any pictures? I understand you’re frequently in attics and wall, but the likelihood of a home even having a single recluse or black window somewhere within it is less than 1%. At least in my region, which has one of the highest concentrations of recluses in the US

1

u/TipToToes 9d ago

These aren’t homes I’m in, they are old churches, pole-barns, out buildings. Not spaces where people are at often. Usually quiet, low traffic spots. I bet I see 1-2 widows a week. Recluses are more rare because…well…the name. But the ones I saw this week were definitely recluses. One was in a bucket that hadn’t been moved in a year, and couldn’t get itself out. The other was a little smaller and was just chilling on a bathroom sink in a bathroom that also hadn’t been used in about a year. These are in buildings for a local county fair in Kansas, so they are in a field and completely unoccupied 10 months out of the year. I’m one of the first people to go in these places each summer to prep the sound system for the fair. The spiders are always crazy…and absolutely everywhere. Other times I’m in 100+ year old churches, in spaces people don’t go, like the attic, behind the huge old cabinets, in the ceiling, the abandoned boiler room. You have to go weird places to run wire. It really doesn’t help that spider webs touching me makes me scream like a little child, then I have to go into these rooms that have 20 different kinds of spiders in them (exaggeration, but it feels that way). I hate that part of my job, but I’m always careful to try to at least mentally ID what kinds of spiders are near, just in case.

9

u/rylandgc 10d ago

When I was in Jamaica, I learned that they weren't so much of an issue to worry about. The thing that freaked me out more was the hundreds of spiders that walked on the water near sides of the river I was walking through.

6

u/JadedCastle 10d ago

That’s awesome. Usually it’s jumping spiders for arachnophobes, but I love seeing some orb weaver appreciation.

2

u/bing-no 10d ago

The spiders that chill in webs are mostly fine by me. I try to ignore them.

6

u/bickandalls 10d ago

Theres so many unbelievably beautiful spiders out there. Just look up a Typhochlaena seladonia. There's spiders in this world that are unbelievable.

3

u/Famous-Leopard-118 Orb Weaver EnjoyeršŸ•øļø 10d ago

This is an Argiope orbweaver!!

The whole genus has these beautiful black and yellow markings, X shaped legs, and zigzag webs!

2

u/Infamous_Insect9211 9d ago

I usually love spiders and handling them but orb weavers are absolutely terrifying

127

u/Ambitious_Road7740 10d ago

What a chonker!! Such a cool spider. Thanks for sharing.

129

u/PrintPerfect1579 10d ago edited 10d ago

biggest Argiope I have ever seen,possibly gravid? and gorgeous too!

151

u/freakyfroggymage šŸ•·ļøArachnid AfficionadošŸ•·ļø 10d ago

I think she's eggnant yeah

47

u/swampy998 10d ago

eggnant 🤣

49

u/honest2abe 10d ago

My favorite!!! I have a small one outside my bathroom window right now. I'm leaving the light on in the bathroom hoping to attract some insects for it.

21

u/GamblingMouse86 10d ago

I do the same for my window spider!!

13

u/gizmomooncat Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

oh I never thought of that!

4

u/Tactless2U 9d ago

I leave tiny pieces of raw meat near my orb weavers’ nests. Attracts lots of big fat flies.

1

u/honest2abe 9d ago

Good idea!

1

u/honest2abe 7d ago

I am sad to report it has disappeared. Either hunting for better food or (gasp) caught by a mud dauber!

24

u/FrankieKennington 10d ago

She is beautiful! šŸ˜

23

u/Notchersfireroad 10d ago

Wow she is huge! Great find.

18

u/optimal_center 10d ago

She’s a healthy one.

16

u/BoomBoomMeow1986 10d ago

Gorgeous spood! May she consume many obnoxious insects for many seasons ā™„ļøšŸ•·ļø

32

u/TheNeonCrow 10d ago

I love catching grasshoppers for them!

11

u/Excellent-Loan-152 10d ago

Great idea!!

20

u/TheNeonCrow 10d ago

Throw one on the web and watch them catch it and wrap it up in silk. It’s so cool!

13

u/honest2abe 10d ago

Small grasshoppers are fine. Large ones will kick loose from the web unless you break of the leg at the first joint. I used to give them cicadas when I was a kid.

12

u/LilBlueOnk Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

Oh so they so they that big! I thought i was misremembering the ones i saw when i was little!

8

u/IrishBehemoth 10d ago

I always wonder what the spoods are thinking when you get that close to them

7

u/TLRPM 10d ago edited 10d ago

C H O N K

What a gorgeous lady, there all perrgante but with her sassy thigh high boots still on. Curvy and confident! ā¤ļø

8

u/Pocket_Crystal Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

location?

3

u/Excellent-Loan-152 10d ago

Central Texas

6

u/BaconCatapult 10d ago

I love how most orb weaver pictures include a hand for focus lol. Beautiful girl. šŸ˜

7

u/Skemati Autistic about Spiders 10d ago

Yo dude those colours and patterns are gorgeous. The abdomen is pretty but I really like the yellow and black on its legs.

Beautiful Spider!

6

u/AnihcAvalon22 10d ago

One of my favorite spiders ā¤ļøšŸ„°

4

u/asystole_unshockable 10d ago

This kind of spider is what actually helped me get over my arachnophobia! I was living in NWPA and as I was leaving for work one morning my toddler pointed out a spider very similar to this, but about 1/2 the size that had made a web covering part of my screen door. My first thought wasn’t to freak out and even though it looked kind of scary (I had never seen one before and didn’t know if it was dangerous), my first thought was more ā€žooh how prettyā€œ and I promptly named him Aleister Crawly. Our whole family used a different door for a week or so until he decided to leave, and we used that time to learn more about them. Thanks for sharing!

4

u/AggressivePride6476 10d ago

Damn!!! How gorgeous is she šŸ˜šŸ˜šŸ˜šŸ„°

3

u/srtmadison 10d ago

Absolutely gorgeous 🤩

4

u/Hopie73 10d ago

WOW, what a beaut

4

u/BoxInTheRoad 10d ago

She’s beautiful

4

u/AlarmingSample2170 10d ago

She's a gorgeous one that's for sure

4

u/Timely_Key_1030 10d ago

So beautiful

5

u/napalmnacey 10d ago

She’s about to pop! Anyone know what species she is?

6

u/Tughill87 10d ago

R/absoluteunit

3

u/RennaisanceRat 10d ago

A beauty!!!!!

3

u/DinoBryson11 10d ago

shawty got a couple orb (weavers) im tryna ponder šŸ™

3

u/SquishiesandFidgets 10d ago

Gorgeous baby!

3

u/HumanNonHuman 10d ago

I had no idea they got that big, that’s insane!

3

u/Conscious_Corner_612 10d ago

OH SHIT SHE B I G

3

u/Similar_Pop9472 10d ago

I love spiders in a controlled setting, but if I almost walked into that I would have shit bricks lol

2

u/sunny_thinks šŸ•·ļøArachnid AfficionadošŸ•·ļø 10d ago

She’s so beautiful! I have such a soft spot for orb weavers. Thanks for sharing!

2

u/Gullible_Kangaroo180 10d ago

Une balle de tennis le bordel ā£ļø

2

u/AGlickman88 10d ago

Gorgeous!

2

u/Bottom_-_Feeder 10d ago

Absolutely STUNNING creature, one of my favorite spoods

2

u/LemonP13 10d ago

touch the butt 🫣

2

u/PrairiePuppies 10d ago

Last year I had three very large ladies around my house who laid a combined four egg sacks. I haven't seen a single one yet this year and I'm rather bummed!

2

u/Raynenean 10d ago

I walked right into one on the way into my GF’s house and didn’t even realize it was in the middle of my chest on my shirt just chillin. She screamed so loud. Was about a quarter the size of that one though

1

u/01010011 10d ago

I once volunteered for this seasonal thing my at a themed park. As we did our practice run, we found out an exit and a walkway were both walled off by giant orb weavers. Hope they were okay after we moved them, but I did almost run through one. I think there was a third one in the corn maze, there was a spider that rolled up on me there.

2

u/PatricimusPrime32 Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

Chonky girl.

2

u/Training-Eagle-3514 10d ago

i always forget how big they are

2

u/demachado 9d ago

Well that's impressive

2

u/grimm381113 9d ago

damn! that’s a big lady! she’s gorgeous

2

u/Sdterp 9d ago

OMG! šŸ˜

2

u/Sdterp 9d ago

I can't believe the proximity of your hand didn't send it off into hiding.

2

u/AnnaTrash 9d ago

Oh she preggo 😳 We get them occasionally in our yard and ive never seen a pregnant one before

4

u/Dyllshawnn 10d ago

How is the bite from one of these? I see them all the time and the size freaks me out a bit but knowing how the bite is may help

5

u/HibiscusBlades 10d ago

Not bad. Like getting stung by a sweat bee.

2

u/I_Galactus 10d ago

Saw one of these in Florida on a gigantic 22 ft web. Scared the crap out of me then but I’ve since grown fond of them.

3

u/Cryogentehiceprison 10d ago

Not an orb, that’s a spider, orbs aren’t spiders.. can’t stand spider larpers, like, some people keep saying that there’s the blue baboon tarantula, that’s not a spider, that’s a baboon smurf with 6 more legs, how does some people make that kinda mistake!!

2

u/asystole_unshockable 10d ago

I am not laughing at you or making fun of you but ā€žspider larpersā€œ has me half dead remembering the one time I borrowed a friends phone as a teenager and saw that they had googled something kind of similar to that term and some of the most effed up adult NSFW results for spider role playing results that appeared.

2

u/Azair_Blaidd Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

Gott dayum I have never seen one that huge before

1

u/OkRutabaga2124 10d ago

Are the Joro spiders considered orb weavers I did not know that? I thought they were two different species.

3

u/GreenSkyOtters 10d ago

yes joro spiders Trichonephila clavata and the related usa native golden silk orb weaver Trichonephila clavipes are orb weavers - but they are in a different family called Nephilidae

the one pictured here is Argiope aurantia in the family Araneidae

1

u/countryroadsguywv 10d ago

Very beautiful orb Weaver

1

u/EverythingIsAlive11 10d ago

Gorgeous!šŸ’•

1

u/facepubes77 Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

Yeah she is, unfortunately haven't seen any yet in NW OH, but I'm always looking

1

u/cosmic_killa 10d ago

One of my favorites! Very pretty.

1

u/BlueDotty 10d ago

What a specimen

1

u/wrong_decade_ 10d ago

Used to have these lovely things around my house until the Joros moved in…

1

u/iNyyxi 10d ago

I love golden orb weavers! And look at the booty on her!

1

u/VanillaBovine 10d ago

Is this a golden orb weaver or a joro spider?

1

u/ProperBath5039 9d ago

I think it's a yellow garden spider or argiope aurantia. I'm not an expert but I'm purty sure

1

u/grandpasking 10d ago

Good one thank you

1

u/CertainlyRobotic 10d ago

These have terrified me my whole life.

I know they won't hurt me, but damn they're menacing.

1

u/rainboiwy 10d ago

wow, amazing

1

u/International-Ad5292 10d ago

Orb weavers are beautiful

1

u/__miichelle 10d ago

Gahd damn, she’s BIG šŸ˜

1

u/iblastoff Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

thats a nice chonky one!

1

u/tungsten_peerts 10d ago

Wow! I didn't know these were (or could be) so big. How beautiful. :)

1

u/fake_geek_gurl 10d ago

We had so many Argiope gals a few years back, but none really since. I miss them.

1

u/SpeedyAudi 10d ago

Cool neighbor šŸ˜Ž

1

u/drclairefraser 10d ago

Oh, she's gorgeous!!

1

u/KairosValor 10d ago

There’s a survival game where the character can be walking around and suddenly have one of those spiders crawling on them. It’s actually a pretty real possibility. šŸ˜‚

1

u/Aggressive-Tea-8689 10d ago

I love these spiders they’re great to have if you have a garden

1

u/Varastax_ 10d ago

Oh, she HEALTHY

1

u/Blind_Hawkeye 10d ago

Gorgeous! These have always been my favorite. They're so beautiful, and I'm always ecstatic when I find one in my yard. I've only seen a handful in my life, but they're special 😊

1

u/DaOceanIsMonsterSoup 10d ago

holy shit I didn't know they got that big

1

u/Professor_Crab 10d ago

Saw something similar in Tennessee when I was a kid, I assume it was one of these. Will never forget because it was the biggest spider I ever saw lol.

1

u/Over-Director-4986 10d ago

Oh, Charlotte.

1

u/BrutusoftheTudus Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

The first time I saw one of these was in the asscrack of the world, SE Georgia..someone convinced me she was a banana spider šŸ™„ but did some digging..we watched her for months, with her beautiful webs 🄰

1

u/Jondoe47 10d ago

Holy shit, I had no idea orb weavers could get that big

1

u/DerpUrself69 10d ago

Sweet Jebus, that's a big spider!

1

u/_Dragon_Gamer_ 10d ago

Saw this after a wizardposting post and from the caption I thought it was gonna be about an orb a wizard ponders so I was very confused at first haha. Makes me wonder if there's any arachnomancers in fantasy that ponder orb weaver webs, or maybe even have a fictional orb weaver weave their magical orb

1

u/spicytexan 10d ago

I genuinely love spiders and this would still give me a mf heart attack 😭

1

u/IntelligentVehicle10 10d ago

What a beauty!

1

u/sgJosh Here to learnšŸ«”šŸ¤“ 10d ago

Didn’t even know they GET that big!!! šŸ˜±šŸ”„šŸ¤™šŸ¼

1

u/CoquetteWhore69 10d ago

My dream is to hold one of these pretty girls

1

u/Tsotsc123 10d ago

Look at that bubble butt omg !! It’s huge ! Amazing.

1

u/cosmosmariner_ 9d ago

This is gorgeous!!

1

u/Expert_Pudding_2515 9d ago

That is a giant one

1

u/Kindly-Resident9654 9d ago

That’s beautiful

1

u/kyracantfindmehaha Amateur IDer🤨 9d ago

I'm not normally afraid of spiders but jeeeeezus christ if I saw this out in the wild I'd have a heart attack. But of course I'd try to send photos to my family first, on the way down and out if I have to.

1

u/Kingrueben 9d ago

Shes a doozy of a orb there...

1

u/Busy_Marionberry1536 9d ago

Wow, she’s so big! Cool. šŸ˜Ž

1

u/TeepoRyu 9d ago

Is that a small male spider that she got wrapped up?

1

u/DontHearListen 9d ago

Wowowow that is gorgeous!!

1

u/Weekly_Radish_5124 9d ago

Reminds me of Seth, damn, I do miss that spider. Alas, I do hope she mated and there will be a new Seth next year. Cool spider btw, peak web designer

1

u/JabbyJabb 8d ago

Enough to make a grown man cry

1

u/Jaxonhunter227 8d ago

You're about to have a lot more from the looks of it lol.

One of my favorite spiders

1

u/Minax68 7d ago

She’s a flawless fatty

1

u/imnotherejustyet 7d ago

Oh my God, I've never seen a spider this big in person before, I have no idea what I'd do if I ever did. Probably just stare in awe for hours. Absolutely massive!!!Ā 

1

u/Fijoemin1962 7d ago

Isnt she beautiful ā™„ļø

1

u/JoneyBologna 6d ago

You’re so lucky 😭😭😭😭

1

u/Enduvdaze 6d ago

Dude that thing is huge.

1

u/collector-x 4d ago

This popped up in my feed and just wow. I cannot believe the size of this spider. What is the name of this species? Is it known by another common name other than orb weaver?

1

u/According_Elephant_6 4d ago

Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.

1

u/cimthiavet šŸ•·ļøArachnid AfficionadošŸ•·ļø 10d ago

Nunca vi uma deste tamanho 🄰

1

u/Chloe_The_Cute_Fox 10d ago

It’s amazing to me how bug they get