What spider genus includes the golden silk orb-weavers?

The spider genus that includes the golden silk orb-weavers is Trichonephila. These spiders are famous for large orb webs whose silk often appears yellow or golden in sunlight.

Friedrich Dahl first described Trichonephila in 1911 as a subgenus of Nephila. A 2019 revision elevated it to full genus status, which explains why older books and websites may place some of these spiders in Nephila. The genus occurs across tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Oceania, the Americas, and the southeastern United States.

Their webs can span roughly 1–1.5 metres between vegetation. The yellow silk contains pigments including xanthurenic acid, and its colour may attract prey in bright settings while blending with foliage in shade. Females are dramatically larger than males, and mating can be dangerous because females sometimes eat their partners.

A common mix-up is treating every “golden orb-weaver” as one species. Trichonephila is a genus containing multiple species, including the golden silk spider, Trichonephila clavipes, of the Americas.