About Neoscona rufipalpis (Lucas, 1858)
Neoscona rufipalpis is a large spider species known from both male and female individuals, with a body length ranging from 11 to 13 mm. This species has a very wide global distribution across the Afrotropical Region, where it has been recorded in Botswana, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, St Helena, Tanzania, Togo, Yemen, and South Africa. Within South Africa, it occurs in seven provinces, including seven protected areas, at altitudes from 7 to 1,556 meters above sea level. Neoscona rufipalpis builds orb-webs with widely spaced spirals made of very sticky, bright yellow silk that has a golden shine. The spider monitors its web from a tightly woven, funnel-shaped silk retreat tucked between leaves of vegetation. This retreat is constructed from strong, pale-yellow, non-sticky silk, and the orb-web is positioned directly in front of it. Some individuals remain active even in mid-winter, and will repair their webs if they are broken or removed. This species is very commonly found on broad-leaved trees. It has been sampled from most South African floral biomes, with the exception of the Desert and Succulent Karoo biomes, and has also been found in avocado, citrus, and macadamia orchards.
