The Golden Orb Web spider (Nephila maculata, sometimes also called the Giant Wood spider) gets the credit. It's a large South Pacific spider that makes especially strong and large webs (2m wide x 6m tall). The web itself is slightly golden colour, and the web is made well enough to last for years with just minor repairs.
Small birds sometimes get trapped in these giant webs, but Nephila maculata doesn't eat them and just has to repair the web; smarter specimens have learnt to leave some insect parts in the web to make it more visible to flying birds.
Nephila maculata spins the strongest webs probably because its silk has a lower water content and a denser crystalline structure than some other spider's silk. Also, the webs are especially well-made, as they are meant to last for years.
People sometimes tear down the webs and use them for fishing (Nephila maculata is harmless to humans).
Small birds sometimes get trapped in these giant webs, but Nephila maculata doesn't eat them and just has to repair the web; smarter specimens have learnt to leave some insect parts in the web to make it more visible to flying birds.
Nephila maculata spins the strongest webs probably because its silk has a lower water content and a denser crystalline structure than some other spider's silk. Also, the webs are especially well-made, as they are meant to last for years.
People sometimes tear down the webs and use them for fishing (Nephila maculata is harmless to humans).