Trichonephila clavipes

Distribution

In the United States, it ranges throughout the coastal southeast and inland, from North Carolina to Texas. Its distribution in many regions seems localized, and it may be completely absent over wide areas. Conversely, in some arboreal or swampy nooks, adults and their webs can be found in large concentrations, especially near the coast. Golden orb-weavers are especially numerous in the time after summer and before fall in the Southeastern and Southern United States. This species is widespread — and often common — in large parts of Central America and warmer regions of South America.

Behavior

The web of a mature female can reach one meter in width, the yellow threads appearing as a rich gold in sunlight. Males come into the female's web for copulating. After mating, the female spins an egg sac on a tree, laying hundreds of eggs in one sac. While its venom is dangerous to humans, it will only bite if pinched. The venom is usually relatively harmless and only leads to slight redness and localized pain.

Uses

The silk of "N. clavipes" has recently been used to help in mammalian neuronal regeneration. "In vitro" experiments showed that a single thread of silk can lead a severed neuron through the body to the site from which it was severed. This single thread has a tensile strength of 4×109 N/m2, which exceeds that of steel by a factor of six. Best of all for these experiements, it is not recognized by the immune system, and so, is not rejected by the host body.