Saturday, February 19, 2011

Joro-gumo

2007,  Kumamoto, Japan,  Joro-gumo, spider, travelThis photo was taken in 2007 in my co-worker's backyard in Kumamoto, Japan. In Japan these spiders are called Joro-gumo, literally 'harlot spider.' The name comes from an old story from the Edo period about a woman who lures men into her home, then turns into a spider and eats them. In western countries this spider is called Nephila clavata and is a member of the golden orb-web spider group. The web of the female Joro-gumo can reach one meter in length. After mating, the female spins her egg sack, which can contain between 500-1500 eggs, and attaches it to a tree.

1 comment:

JHedge said...

Not as scary as a camel spider. Sour.