The leaf or leaf curling spider is an orb-weaving species indigenous to the eastern, southern and north-eastern parts of Australia. They are commonly seen seeking shelter within a curled leaf located at the middle of their web, thus resulting in their name.
Size: The males are 5 – 6 mm long, while females have a length of 8-12 mm.
Color: The male and female spiders are similar when it comes to coloration, having a reddish-brown body and legs alongside a cream pattern on the back.
Other Characteristic Features: They have fat, oval-shaped bodies along with long tapering legs.
The eggs are laid within a curled leaf suspended at a distance from the foliage.
The juvenile spiders begin to bend over a small-sized green leaf and eventually move on to bigger ones.
The web of these spiders can be identified in an easy way which has a diameter of about 30 cm. It is in the shape of an incomplete circle, open at the upper part and fanning in a downward direction.
It is not harmful since it has small fangs with a timid nature, being reluctant to sting unless provoked. They may rarely bite mankind and their toxicity to human beings is unknown, causing not much pain excepting localized swelling or redness.
| Other Names | Leaf Curling spider |
| Distribution | Eastern, southern, north-eastern states of Australia |
| Habitat | Open woodland, forest, as well as gardens in suburban and urban regions |
| Diet | Flying insects |
| Predators | Birds, parasitic wasps |
| Lifespan | Approximately 1 year |
Image Credits: Arachne.org.au, Media.australianmuseum.net.au, Photos.smugmug.com, Findaspider.org.au, Live.staticflickr.com,
Arachne.org.au, Canberra.naturemapr.org
The leaf or leaf curling spider is an orb-weaving species indigenous to the eastern, southern and north-eastern parts of Australia. They are commonly seen seeking shelter within a curled leaf located at the middle of their web, thus resulting in their name.
Size: The males are 5 – 6 mm long, while females have a length of 8-12 mm.
Color: The male and female spiders are similar when it comes to coloration, having a reddish-brown body and legs alongside a cream pattern on the back.
Other Characteristic Features: They have fat, oval-shaped bodies along with long tapering legs.
The eggs are laid within a curled leaf suspended at a distance from the foliage.
The juvenile spiders begin to bend over a small-sized green leaf and eventually move on to bigger ones.
The web of these spiders can be identified in an easy way which has a diameter of about 30 cm. It is in the shape of an incomplete circle, open at the upper part and fanning in a downward direction.
It is not harmful since it has small fangs with a timid nature, being reluctant to sting unless provoked. They may rarely bite mankind and their toxicity to human beings is unknown, causing not much pain excepting localized swelling or redness.
| Other Names | Leaf Curling spider |
| Distribution | Eastern, southern, north-eastern states of Australia |
| Habitat | Open woodland, forest, as well as gardens in suburban and urban regions |
| Diet | Flying insects |
| Predators | Birds, parasitic wasps |
| Lifespan | Approximately 1 year |
Image Credits: Arachne.org.au, Media.australianmuseum.net.au, Photos.smugmug.com, Findaspider.org.au, Live.staticflickr.com,
Arachne.org.au, Canberra.naturemapr.org
