Dorsal view above; ventral view below. We encountered two of these giants, sometimes called Northern Golden Orb Weaver. They exhibit an extraordinary sexual dimorphism with female gigantism and/or male dwarfism. The little red ones visible in these photos are males. The female is one of the largest spiders in the world. Unlike other spiders, they continue to grow after maturity to a maximum of about eight inches. Studies have found that the bright contrasting colors of the female may attract insect prey. Canon PowerShot SX60 HS.