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Nephila pilipes is a species of golden orb-web spider. It can be found in Japan, China, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, Philippines, Sri Lanka, India, Papua New Guinea, and Northern Australia. It is commonly found in primary and secondary forests and gardens.

The Nephila pilipes’ web is vertical with a fine irregular mesh and not symmetrical, with the hub is usually nearer the top. Rather than egg sacks being hung in the web, a pit is dug which is then covered with plant debris or soil.

The first, second and fourth pairs of legs of juvenile females have dense hairy brushes, but as the spider matures these brushes disappear.

The golden orb weavers are one of the largest spiders found in Australia.
Their webs with diameters of over 1 meter can be found hanging off sign posts, in or between trees.
Female spiders can measure up to 45 mm while the smaller males measure only 6 mm. The male is often found in or around the web of the female.
Beside the male and the female boarders resides in the web. They are called quicksilver, dewdrop or droplet spider (Argyrodes antipodianus)
because their silvery body shines like drops of water in the sun.

If you look closely at the web you can notice that the snares have a golden color. The web is extremely strong. So strong that even small birds stick in the net.

Found this female (Nephila pilipes piscatorum ) (accompanied by 2 males!) in a fruit orchard in Cape Tribulation in North Queensland.

Camera: Canon EOS D Mark II
Lens: Tamron Zoomlens AF 18-250mm
Soligor extender 1.4x
Exposure time 1/10s
Aperture value f/6.3
ISO 1600
Focal length 250 mm