Golden Silk Spider Trichonephila clavipes

This spider produces seven different types of silk—more variety than most species can manage—and puts them to work constructing massive, asymmetrical orbs that shimmer with a golden glow in the sunlight. The color comes from the silk itself, not the spider, making their webs as famous as the builders.

Unlike many orb-weavers that wrap prey in silk first, this spider injects venom directly into prey, subduing insects with a venomous bite. Females are notably large and boldly colored in red-brown and yellow. Found from the southern U.S. through Argentina in forests and wooded areas, they're harmless to humans despite their predatory reputation.