I'm sure everyone who lives in Hong Kong has seen these wonderful creatures, and probably quite a few of you - like me - have bumped into their webs. I even had one on my head one time when I was foolish enough to run into its web.
Close up they are even more scary, but also beautiful, covered in golden like hair. We also used to have a family dare, to touch them in their webs. My wife was normally the bravest and won those contests.
But are they really dangerous?
The venom of the golden silk orb-weaver is potent but not lethal to humans. It has a neurotoxic effect similar to that of the black widow spider; however, its venom is not nearly as powerful. The bite causes local pain, redness, and blisters that normally disappear within a 24-hour period
But its bite, strong web, and rapid wrapping of its web can ensnare some large prey including bees (like below), wasps, and even small snakes and small birds. Yikes!
