# Banana Spider (I think)



## Pitter (Feb 16, 2012)

I was told this is a Banana spider, not sure if that's correct. They were very common along a trail I hiked in the forest (jungle) in Capurganá, Chocó department Colombia. I understand their bite is serious. If incorrect id please correct.


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## Sukai94 (Feb 16, 2012)

I believe it is of the genus Nephila. I have seen them referred to as "banana spiders" they are harmless. Not to be confused with "Brazilian wandering spiders" (genus Phoneutria). Phoneutria are dangerous and not to be bothered! 

What a beautiful spider! Thanks for sharing!

Reactions: Like 1


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## xhexdx (Feb 16, 2012)

Yeah, that's Nephila sp.


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## Ciphor (Feb 16, 2012)

That is _Nephila clavipes_. They are *very* common in your area. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nephila_clavipes

And as others said, that spider is harmless. You would get much more pain from a bee sting then that gentle giant. Good luck even getting it to bite you, they are incredibly docile.


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## Pitter (Feb 16, 2012)

Thanks very much for the id. The problem with common names is they can refer to a variety of species.


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## The Snark (Feb 16, 2012)

YES! The bite is deadly serious!! DANGER! BEWARE! If you happen to be an insect or (rarely), a small bird. 
Got to love the legs and feet adaptation. Amazing acrobats in their webs, just barely able to walk outside of them.

Thanks for the beautiful picture. Classic. You should submit that shot to the Wiki page. It's much better than the one they have now.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ciphor (Feb 16, 2012)

The Snark said:


> YES! The bite is deadly serious!! DANGER! BEWARE! If you happen to be an insect or (rarely), a small bird.
> Got to love the legs and feet adaptation. Amazing acrobats in their webs, just barely able to walk outside of them.
> 
> Thanks for the beautiful picture. Classic. You should submit that shot to the Wiki page. It's much better than the one they have now.


No way man! The wiki page has a much more characteristic one, and it has a male in the shot, AND it is grubbin on some chow. Plus I'm just guessing it is _Nephila clavipes_ because they are just so damn common in that area. They are to Colombia, like _Araneus diadematus_ is to the NW.

---------- Post added 02-16-2012 at 09:49 PM ----------

And Snark you should totally be posting lots of Thailand spider pictures


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## The Snark (Feb 17, 2012)

Ciphor: Hrmph. The heck with the munching, I like how well detailed the legs are. :biggrin:
Here, teaching spiderology to a friends kid. Clavata and Clavipes are the perfect subjects for their low venom toxicity and amiability when outside the web.






PS When I get a grip and cool off I'm about to post a MAJOR RANT in a new thread.


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## Rob1985 (Feb 17, 2012)

Back in 2009 Whole Foods in Tulsa, OK found a live Phoneutria species in once of their fruit shipments. Those things are pretty gnarly!


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## The Snark (Feb 17, 2012)

Rob1985 said:


> Back in 2009 Whole Foods in Tulsa, OK found a live Phoneutria species in once of their fruit shipments. Those things are pretty gnarly!


A friend of mine wrote about the horrorifying Tulsa invasion a while back. I quote her:
"A credible but unsuccessful attempt was made yesterday by the Local Fauna Association of the Amazon Basin to protect it's rapidly diminishing habitat. A volunteer member of the Phoneutria tribe of arachnids undertook a perilous several thousand mile expedition with the apparent hope of envenoming any of several Tulsa produce handlers. This is, of course, an obvious profile targeting of mid west Americans in general who are well known to patronize many if not all of the corporate businesses engaged in rain forest destruction.

Sadly, the effort was aborted, and the brave volunteer was captured and immediately sentenced to death by slow torture in a biological laboratory. Unnamed Brazilian Wandering Spider, we salute you and sincerely hope that the life you gave was not in vain. However, we fear that such future efforts will also, as a general rule, fail. Patience dear fellow animals. Let the bullet, the land mines, the famine, the industrial toxins and the automobile do their job restoring the rightful order of life on this planet. "

Reactions: Like 1


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## Rob1985 (Feb 17, 2012)

The Snark said:


> A friend of mine wrote about the horrorifying Tulsa invasion a while back. I quote her:
> "A credible but unsuccessful attempt was made yesterday by the Local Fauna Association of the Amazon Basin to protect it's rapidly diminishing habitat. A volunteer member of the Phoneutria tribe of arachnids undertook a perilous several thousand mile expedition with the apparent hope of envenoming any of several Tulsa produce handlers. This is, of course, an obvious profile targeting of mid west Americans in general who are well known to patronize many if not all of the corporate businesses engaged in rain forest destruction.
> 
> Sadly, the effort was aborted, and the brave volunteer was captured and immediately sentenced to death by slow torture in a biological laboratory. Unnamed Brazilian Wandering Spider, we salute you and sincerely hope that the life you gave was not in vain. However, we fear that such future efforts will also, as a general rule, fail. Patience dear fellow animals. Let the bullet, the land mines, the famine, the industrial toxins and the automobile do their job restoring the rightful order of life on this planet. "


 Thanks for that post, since it's almost 4am here and a I just got off work, that blew my mind! lol


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## Necromion (Feb 17, 2012)

@ snark nice, gave this insomniac a good laugh.

@ rob I think you need to look at your clock again my friend


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## Rob1985 (Feb 17, 2012)

Necromion said:


> @ snark nice, gave this insomniac a good laugh.
> 
> @ rob I think you need to look at your clock again my friend


 I did and it says central time. I'm in Illinois.


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## ANDROGOD (Feb 23, 2012)

One of my dream true spiders, anyone have any leads as to where I can find a golden orb? Doubt ill find any out here in AZ.


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