SUZUKA, Japan — The distinctive Jorō spider, which is common across much of Japan, can grow to the size of the palm of your hand. The female of the species is much larger than the male and is immediately identifiable by the red and yellow markings on her bulbous body — a warning to predators of her venomous bite.
By this time of year in mid-September, a female Jorō spider will be nearing the end of her year-long life and will be ready to spin a cocoon of golden silk to protect her eggs. All being well, they will hatch the following spring, giving life to hundreds of spiderlings, starting the lifecycle all over again.
So prevalent are the spiders in central Japan that the infield of the Suzuka circuit, home to this weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, has a narrow path nicknamed ‘Spider Alley’. The overgrown walkway is the only route from Suzuka’s final chicane to its famous crossover point, making it a necessary evil for photographers hoping to move from one end of the circuit to the other while cars on track.
Vegetation, knotweed and catch fencing interweave along one side of the path, creating a habitat in which Jorō spiders can thrive…
