Greetings fellow Foxies,
We have a couple of common and really interesting lace web spiders in Narrogin. The name comes from the lacy nature of their very sticky webs.
The Black House Spider Badumna insignis that has a funnel-type web in every home and many cars (I have one in my external rear vision mirror), looks nasty but is really a wimp. They are very reclusive and are regularly eaten by birds and White-tailed Spiders.
The one on the left is about to feast on a donated cockroach, but only after I was hidden from it.
We have a couple of common and really interesting lace web spiders in Narrogin. The name comes from the lacy nature of their very sticky webs.
The Black House Spider Badumna insignis that has a funnel-type web in every home and many cars (I have one in my external rear vision mirror), looks nasty but is really a wimp. They are very reclusive and are regularly eaten by birds and White-tailed Spiders.
The one on the left is about to feast on a donated cockroach, but only after I was hidden from it.
In contrast, the Social-webbing Spider Phryganoporus candidus is inconspicuous, but builds an amazing communal web in summer to rear its young.
In late summer a young female establishes the web that is enlarged by her and her spiderlings that may number in the hundreds. The web contains a central living area of interconnecting tunnels that is surrounded by a communal catching web. It becomes a small city that contains the spiders, their parasites, and other beasties that feed on the debris. Early stage dew-laden social web
In late summer a young female establishes the web that is enlarged by her and her spiderlings that may number in the hundreds. The web contains a central living area of interconnecting tunnels that is surrounded by a communal catching web. It becomes a small city that contains the spiders, their parasites, and other beasties that feed on the debris. Early stage dew-laden social web
 early dew-laden web |  Mature web with spiderlings |
In late spring, the sub-adult females leave the nest, and are followed later by the males. These spiders then establish solitary webs, and will eat any intruders, with the temporary exception of males for mating.
Until this autumn, I have wondered where these solitary webs were.
If you look closely on sheoak needles, you may see a miserable little web that ends in a thin conical retreat of silk and insect bits.
It took me a long time to coax one out with tasty flies and moths. They are small (about 5mm) lovely spiders that are covered with white hairs to help them cope with hot dry weather.
Until this autumn, I have wondered where these solitary webs were.
If you look closely on sheoak needles, you may see a miserable little web that ends in a thin conical retreat of silk and insect bits.
It took me a long time to coax one out with tasty flies and moths. They are small (about 5mm) lovely spiders that are covered with white hairs to help them cope with hot dry weather.
 fly drawn up unto the retreat for supper |  adult female |
