The places where I went to, as mentioned in my last post, had so many spiders and butterflies that I decided to have a separate post for them. I was amazed by the diverse species of spiders in Taman Negara. I also learnt many new things about each species, and their unique characteristics.
The first spider we saw was on the trail to the Canopy Walk from Mutiara Resort. It was the beautiful Golden Silk Orb-Weaver (genus Nephila). We were very lucky to see it 3 times in different places, one spinning its intricate web, and I have captured it on video for all to enjoy!
Golden Silk Orb-Weaver
Genus Nephila
I loved the way it ejected silk from its abdomen, and pulled it with its legs into a zig-zag pattern. I did not realize this until I watched the video- but it was mating as well! Mating can take a long time for this species. The tiny spider you see ( in the video if you observe closely) on the top of the spider is the male. It is often seen lurking on the edges of the web, feeding on small insects that the female may have ignored!
Please double click on the photos in the blogpost to see them enlarged:
This is a St.Andrews Cross Spider (Genus Argiope) whose web not too far from the Orb Weaver’s. We saw this in Lata Berkoh, near a beautiful cascade of water on Sungei Tahan river. I loved its vibrant yellow color!
St. Andrews Cross Spider
Genus Argiope
This stunning spider, a Long-horned Spiny Orb Weaver (Gasteracantha)is one of a kind, with it’s horns and spines. It was an amazing sight!
Long horned spiny orb weaver
Gasteracantha
We saw this very shy spider on the forest floor with thin long legs and a bluish body.
A sub-adult female or adult of the Singapore Blue (Lampropelma violaceopes) that we saw during the night walk that peered at us from a tree trunk! Our guide told us that spiders that spin webs are not poisonous (though some of them may bite). The spiders that don’t spin webs are the poisonous ones.
See if you can spot this striped spider that is camouflaged on the tree! It is the Tree Trunk Spider.
This is an unusual spider that even the guide couldn’t recognise. He called it the ‘scorpion spider’!
This has been a great learning experience for me, both observing various kinds of spiders as well as compiling this post. Thanks for reading! Now for the butterflies and moths in the next one!
Lavanya Prakash
https://mynatureexperiences.wordpress.com
My Nature Experiences 
>> From post: “The first spider we saw was on the trail to the Canopy Walk from Mutiara Resort. It was the beautiful Golden Silk Orb-Weaver (genus Nephila).”
Your photos (ventral/ lower view, dorsal/ upper view with male) show an adult female Nephila pilipes (Giant Wood Spider, synonym: Nephila maculata). This is the largest spider of its genus.
* Photo: Ventral view (Wild S’pore)
* Photos (MiniBeast Observatory)
* Info & Photos (Wikipedia)
>> From post: “We saw this very shy spider on the forest floor with thin long legs and a bluish body. “
I can’t see the body properly from your photo. But if it has 2 body segments, it could be Smeringopus pallidus (Pale Daddy-Long-Leg Spider). For info & photos: Guide to Common S’pore Spiders; BugGuide.
If its body consists of just 1 segment, it could be a spider relative called the Harvestman (aka Daddy Longlegs). See: Photo of a sclerosomatid harvestman in S’pore; Harvestmen of Malaysia.
>> From post: “A spider species similar to the Tarantula that we saw during the night walk that peered at us from a tree trunk! “
Your photo of a purplish/ bluish spider with orange hairs might be an adult or sub-adult female Lampropelma violaceopes (S’pore Blue, Malaysian Blue Femur). This tarantula is native to southern Peninsular Malaysia, S’pore & the Riau islands (Indonesia).
* Photos of adult female: LINK1, LINK2
* Photo of juvenile: LINK3
* Info & Photos: Asian Arboreals; Wikipedia.
>> From post: “See if you can spot this striped spider that is camouflaged on the tree!”
Your photo shows what is commonly called a tree trunk spider or two-tailed spider (family: Hersiliidae). Species-wise, it could be Hersilia savignyi (Two-Tailed Flat Spider). The “tail” refers to the 2 elongated spinnerets on the rear-end of the abdomen — the long spinnerets are just about visible in your photo.
* Tree Trunk Spider (Wikipedia)
* Hersilia savignyi Photos: CalPhotos; India Nature Watch