Australian Wildlife
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Photo 1 Most of the Orb Weaving spiders in our backyard are grey or brown. This grey female lives under the garage roof overhang during the day. She comes out just after sunset to build a new web or repair the old one. |
Photo 2 This is a brown variety, a common colour in Garden Orb Weaving spiders. This shot shows the intricate pattern on the spider's abdomen and clearer details of the almost one metre diameter web. |
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Photo 3 This shot shows a close-up of the top side of the spider and how it has its front legs folded while waiting for something to get caught in the web. Orb Weaving spiders also take up this position while hiding under cover during the day. |
Photo 4 This shot shows a close-up of the under-side of a male spider while it waits with front legs folded. The spider's sex can be determined by the size of the phalps. |
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Photo 5 Side view of a red Orb Weaving spider called Eriophora heroine . This variety has a wide abdomen with a small horn at the top on each side. This spider lives in a small shrub beside the house through the day; you can see the side fence in the background. |
Photo 6 This photo shows the striped back variety. The dark grey spider has a white stripe along the full length of its abdomen The spider was making silk and wrapping a honey bee at the time of the photo. |
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Photo 7 Another striped Orb Weaving spider. This light brown variety has a white stripe along the length of its abdomen. |
Photo 8 I found this spider the morning after it caught a cicada. Orb weavers usually run away and hide if disturbed during the day, but this one wouldn't leave its meal. |
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All photos on this page were taken using a Panasonic Lumix FZ20 and FZ50 digital camera. [ Back to main index page ] [ Back to spiders index page ] |