Garden Orb-Weaving Spider

Eriophora Spp

Appearance

• The commonly seen Garden Orb Weavers are 1-2.5cm in length. Most are stout , reddish – brown or grey spiders with a leaf shaped pattern on their triangular abdomens.

Lifecycle

• The female Orb Weaver lays her eggs in late summer to autumn. The eggs are encased in a fluffy cocoon and attached to foliage
• During autumn, the spiderlings disperse by ballooning (floating on the breeze using small silk strands as “balloons”), and build their own tiny orb webs among vegetation
• The lifespan is about twelve is about twelve months. They mature in summer, mate, lay their eggs, and die in late summer-autumn

Habits

• Make suspended, sticky, wheel – shaped orb webs
• Hides on foliage during day and constructs web at night
• Not aggressive
• Flying insects such as flies, beetles and bugs (including large prey like cicadas) are common prey
• Orb Weavers are reluctant to bite humans. Symptoms are usually negligible or mid local pain, numbness and swelling