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Golden Silk Spider

silk_spider02_sm.jpg: Golden silk spider
silk_spider01_sm.jpg: Golden silk spider
Range: Southeastern United States, West Indies, Central and South America
Habitat: Forests, woodlands, swamps, gardens
Conservation Status: Not listed by IUCN
Scientific Name: Nephila clavipes

These spiders are easy to identify by the conspicuous tufts of "hair" on their legs. The silk in these spiders' webs is the strongest natural fiber known. In the South Pacific, fishermen have been known to combine several webs spun by cousins of the golden silk spiders for use as fishing nets!