Autumn marks the sudden (and perhaps to some, alarming) appearance of the jorōgumo (女郎蜘蛛, L. Nephila clavata), literally “prostitute spider” due to the female’s bright colors. They’ve been around since spring, but the females explode in size during this season as they prepare to mate and bear eggs; males are half or less the size and can often be seen on the periphery of the female’s web contemplating their fate: attempt to mate and risk being eaten, or contemplate a bit longer. Perhaps the males are also contemplating this: In Japanese folklore, the jorōgumo female may change her appearance to that of a beautiful woman so as to seduce men whom she then binds in her silk and devours - except it’s not innocuous folklore to these suitors but hard reality unless the mating dance is concluded flawlessly.

Orb webs of female jorōgumo can reach one meter in width, and their structures are unusual: in addition to the central orb, there are layers of irregular, thick, criss-crossed silk on either side, probably to slow down autumn’s large prey.

You will know immediately if you’ve walked into such a web. The following is advice based on experience:

  1. If only partway through the web, back out.
  2. If fully crashed through the web, do not panic.
  3. Look back at the web’s wreckage to see if the spider is still there; if she is, water helps in removing the web from your face, clothing, and hands.
  4. If she is not there, she may be on your body (though she also may simply have dropped from her web, but this is not the time to be complacent). Feel free to panic by jumping about while vigorously rubbing every surface of your body.

Below are photos of an exceptionally large female (or a very small hand); in human form, seducing a male; and with two male spiders, both in deep contemplation. - William