By Bart Wursten
Golden-orb spiders are very large spiders, at least the females. Hanging upside down in a very large and strong golden-yellow web, these spiders are able to capture prey as large as lizards and even small birds. Often a tiny spider is also seen somewhere else in the web. This usually is the male, sometimes only one percent the size of the female. It may also be a small spider of the genus Argyrodes (Family Theridiidae). These are so-called kleptoparasites, which steal the left-overs caught by the golden-orb spider. They are harmless to humans and usually run out of the center of their web when disturbed.