# I love it when spiders eat birds **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [October 22, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135 "2008-10-22T22:08:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/1 "2008-10-22T22:08:02Z")
[Another shit-machine gone to feed the arachnid population!](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?view=DETAILS&grid=&xml=/earth/2008/10/22/easpider122.xml): > [@](#): > > Joel Shakespeare, head spider keeper at the Australian Reptile Park, said the spider was a Golden Orb Weaver. > > “Normally they prey on large insects… it’s unusual to see one eating a bird,” he told ninemsn. > > Mr Shakepeare said he had seen Golden Orb Weaver spiders as big as a human hand but the northern species in tropical areas were known to grow larger. And yes, the bird-eater is in Australia. It’s reportedly in Atheron, close to Queensland’s tropical north. Now I think I shall sit here and wait for the freak-outs. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/2 "2008-10-22T22:12:11Z")
Right…it’ll have to go. _nukes Australia_ ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/3 "2008-10-22T22:25:27Z")
Yeah, I saw this on another messageboard. We can’t have something like this existing. ---
**Author:** ![in\_hiding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c5a1d2/32.png) [@in\_hiding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/in_hiding)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/4 "2008-10-22T23:00:33Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > We can’t have something like this existing. Nuke them from orbit. ---
**Author:** ![freekalette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/50afbb/32.png) [@freekalette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freekalette)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/5 "2008-10-22T23:03:12Z")
Well since nobody here got me a birthday gift, I’d like to make a proposition. I’ll take all the big spiders to live with me at my house, and that way they won’t freak you out. That’s a fair trade, don’t you think? ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/6 "2008-10-22T23:09:16Z")
Wow. Just…I mean…can we teach it to eat toddlers? ---
**Author:** ![cerberus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/71e660/32.png) [@cerberus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cerberus)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/7 "2008-10-23T02:01:35Z")
So if we put that one into a jar with a purple bird eating spider, who’d win? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/8 "2008-10-23T02:07:55Z")
I love spiders, but I hate common names. The “Golden Orb Weaver” apparently refers to more than one, totally unrelated, spider. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/9 "2008-10-23T02:43:57Z")
If I found that thing in my yard I’d build a flamethrower and send that son-of-a-bitch to the hell from whence it came. Good grief! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/10 "2008-10-23T02:51:47Z")
She’s lovely. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/11 "2008-10-23T02:52:11Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > I love spiders, but I hate common names. The “Golden Orb Weaver” apparently refers to more than one, totally unrelated, spider. Yeah, I agree. I say we should rename this one the Golden Bird-Eater or the \ Getitoffmegetitoffmeohgodit’sinmyHAIR. ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/12 "2008-10-23T02:58:04Z")
Ewwww, why did I click that link!? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/13 "2008-10-23T03:09:16Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > I love spiders, but I hate common names. The “Golden Orb Weaver” apparently refers to more than one, totally unrelated, spider. What makes it really confusing is that in Australia, apparently that’s the only name they have for this monster. The taxonomic name for this hell-beast is _Nephilia ornata_. ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/14 "2008-10-23T03:09:17Z")
> [@Qwisp](#): > > Ewwww, why did I click that link!? So I didn’t have to. Thanks. I was just about to venture a click before I saw your post. You probably saved me from a nightmare. I appreciate it. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/15 "2008-10-23T03:13:47Z")
That’s the second-biggest spider I’ve ever seen! ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/16 "2008-10-23T03:14:25Z")
Holy sweet Jesus, Mary and Joseph. I need to go lie down with a cool cloth over my eyes. That was horrendious. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/17 "2008-10-23T03:17:45Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > That’s the second-biggest spider I’ve ever seen! What, was [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfSGadg-TAA)the biggest? ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/18 "2008-10-23T03:22:48Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > What, was [this](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfSGadg-TAA)the biggest? Note: Link goes directly to video with sound. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/19 "2008-10-23T03:25:49Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > What makes it really confusing is that in Australia, apparently that’s the only name they have for this monster. > > The taxonomic name for this hell-beast is _Nephilia ornata_. The North American spider that goes by that common name is the _[Argiope aurantia](http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Spiders_Savransky_Suhd_Brondstatter/Images_Edited/Argiope_aurantia_1_edited_resized.jpg)_. ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135/20 "2008-10-23T03:32:32Z")
> [@cerberus](#): > > So if we put that one into a jar with a purple bird eating spider, who’d win? The Birdeater, I’d guess; they routinely feed on large ground insects, and the bigger ones can even take down mice. Removed from its web, the Orb Weaver would just be another snack. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-love-it-when-spiders-eat-birds/469135.md?page=2)