8/14/2021 - Golden Orb Web Spider Habitat

These are technically free-roaming, they just stay here the whole time because all of their needs are here so they don't feel the need to leave.

Younger me was always baffled as to how the spiders were contained with such a simple barrier. Pretty underrated exhibit if you ask me.

@pachyderm pro The one at the old invertebrate house at Smithsonian was even more impressive. It's just about the only thing I remember from a trip there as a little kid - literally just a random corner in the building. No barrier or anything.

@birdsandbats Did they? I don't have a memory of that, just the giant pacific octopus and the nautilus.

@birdsandbats @pachyderm pro - female Nephila basically never leave their web (unless it gets destroyed or something like that and they need to make a new one, of course). You can place the web supports (i.e. the branches) anywhere, with literally no barriers, and the spider will always stay on its web.

@TinoPup Yes, it was there.