When I was thirteen years old I remember being on a walk in the Flinders Ranges and walking into a great big net spread between two trees. I also remember that it did not break and I had to extricated myself from it by walking out backwards. It was the web of a Golden Orb Weaver, Nephila edulis.

After the incident we looked all around but the web’s owner was no where to be seen and I spent the rest of the day dreading she had stowed away in my pack and would seek retribution later. Fortunately that did not pass.

This time I saw her first high up in her web. With legs as long as my fingers and a body as big as my thumb she was awesome in her own arachnid way. This time I was happy to only interact with my camera and then leave her in peace.

Photo: Robert Rath, ‘The Golden Orb Weaver’ 1/250s f/4.5 ISO100 200mm