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ANIMAL SPECIES:Silver Orb Weaving Spiders

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Silver Orb Weaving Spiders are recognised by their long, silvery bodies.

 

Alternative Name/s

Humped Orb Weaving Spiders; Silver Orb Weavers

Identification

Silver Orb Weaving Spidersare easily recognised by their silvery body, with yellow or green and black markings. They are long-bodied, long-limbed spiders. The abdomen often has rounded 'shoulder' humps that give these spiders their other common name of Humped Orb Weaving Spiders.

Size range

1 cm

Distribution

Silver Orb Weaving Spiders are found throughout Australia.

Habitat

The Silver Orb Weaving Spider is often found amongst understorey vegetation in moist forest and woodland habitats, including streamside and swampland vegetation.

Silver Orb-Weaving Spiders build small flimsy, horizontal webs among shrubs and grasses or over water.

Behaviour and adaptations

Feeding and Diet

Silver Orb Weaving Spiders remain in their webs during the day and capture flies and other small insects.

Predators, Parasites and Diseases

Predators of orb weaving spiders include several bird species and wasps of the family Sphecidae. The wasps land on the web, lure the spider to the perimeter by imitating a struggling insect's vibrations, and then carry the spider away to be paralysed and stored as live food for their young.

Living with us

Danger to humans and first aid

Orb weaving spiders are reluctant to bite. Symptoms are usually negligible or mild local pain, numbness and swelling. Occasionally nausea and dizziness can occur after a bite. Silver Orb Weaving Spiders have very small fangs and they are timid and reluctant to bite.

Seek medical attention if symptoms persist.

Classification

Genus:
Leucauge
Family:
Tetragnathidae
Superfamily:
Araneoidea
Suborder:
Araneomorphae
Order:
Araneae
Class:
Arachnida
Phylum:
Arthropoda
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  • Simon-Brunet, B. 1994. The Silken Web: a natural history of Australian spiders. Reed Books.
  • York Main, B. 1976. Spiders. The Australian Naturalist Library, Collins.
  • Connell, N.T. 2001. Brood Cell Provisioning By Wasps Of The Family Sphecidae. Entomology 325, Cornell University.
  • Blackledge, T.A. and Pickett, K.M. 2000. Predatory Interactions Between Mud-Dauber Wasps (Hymenoptera, Sphecidae) and Argiope (Araneae, Araneidae) in Captivity. The Journal of Arachnology http://www.americanarachnology.org/JoA_tocs/JOA_v28n2.html#211


Dr Mike Gray
Last Updated: 23 December 2009

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