A pair of Banana Spiders cohabitate

spider
Can you tell me if this is a banana spider or orb spider or if they are two different spiders?
Theresa

Hi Theresa,
We love your photograph. These are Banana Spiders or Golden Silk Spiders, Nephila clavipes. It is a pair. The male is much smaller than the female, often a mere 1/100 of her body weight. He shares a web with her, and this cohabitation must have some symbiotic significance other than just proximity for mating. Perhaps he gets protection and also benefits from the insects trapped in her web. Banana Spiders are in the group known as Orb Weavers.