5 Creepy Insects That Transfix Horror Movie Makers

Published April 19, 2014
Updated November 20, 2019

Creepy Insects: Silk Orb-Weaver Spiders

From “Tarantula” and “Mesa of Lost Women” in the 1950s to “Arachnophobia” in 1990 and “Ice Spiders” in 2007, giant spiders have long terrorized movie-goers on the silver screen. But the fear can’t be measured against what some people may feel in Australia when they come across the web of a golden silk orb-weaver.

Creepy Insects Orb Eating Bird

Source: Tumblr

The webs of this particular spider are very intricate, and in some cases strong enough to capture prey as big as small birds and snakes. The golden silk orb-weaver is one of only three spiders known to eat birds. The others are the goliath bird eater and the Eastern tarantula, also known as the barking spider.

author
All That's Interesting
author
A New York-based publisher established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science to share stories that illuminate our world.
editor
Savannah Cox
editor
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.