Spiders Distribution Map
- I decided to construct a ‘Spiders Distribution Map of Brisbane’, and then I find that this is out of my ability. I think at least I can make a ‘Spiders Distribution Map in my Backyard’. I constructed the map as below. And I find that its application value will not be less than the Distribution Map of Brisbane.
My House
My house is one of the normal suburban houses on a block of 600 square meters of land in Brisbane, Australia. With some adjustments, the map can apply to your house as well. It help you to locate the spiders that you want to find and also help to identify the spider.
The best time to watch spiders is after dark. Remember NOT to disturb
the spider because they will bite, some even can kill. Find out which spiders in
your area are dangerous and try to avoid them. In general most of the spiders
are harmless and they will not attack human unless this is the last thing they
can do. And more important, if you disturb them, they will move away and you
will not see them there next time.
Spiders, unlike insects, they will not run or fly away when you discover
them. Most of the time they are just motionless, on their webs or on their site,
waiting for the prey. What you need is patience, remember where they are, come
back to visit them from time to time, and record what they are doing. If you are
lucky enough and patient enough, you will see how they catch their prey, how
they build their web and their egg sac, how they courtship and mate, how the
young spiders hatch from the egg sac and how they moult. 
Garden Orb-weaver - builds orb webs about
1m in diameter and 1.5m above ground. They start building webs after sun set and
remove the web and hide before sun rise.
Golden Orb-Weaver - builds golden
colour orb webs 1.5m diameter and 1-2m above ground. They will sit on their wed
the whole day and night. They hang the insects remains near their webs.
Lynx Spider - does not build web but roving
between leaves to hunt for prey, both day and night.
Tent Spider
- builds tent shape webs about 60cm in size and 1-2m above ground. Sit in their
web waiting for prey whole day and night. A few Tent Spiders may build their
webs joint together to form a large web over a few meters.
Russian Tent Spider
- builds Russian tent shape webs with hubs covered with plants remains. Web size
about 30cm and 1.5m about ground. In day time the spider hide inside the hub.
The spider sit in the centre waiting for prey after sun set.
St Andrew's Cross Spider
- builds orb web about 1m in size and 1m above ground. Web with cross marking
made by silk. Spider sits at the web centre with two leg paired together waiting
for prey from day to night.
Slender Sac Spider
- does not build wed. Roving on plants hunts for prey at night time.
Red Back Spider
- builds untidy tangle wed with sun exposure. Web in ground level to 1m above
ground. Love afternoon sun so mostly find in the west side of the house. Bite
can kill.
Brown Huntsman Spider
- does not build web. Waiting for prey on tree trunk and fence near the ground
at night time.
Flower Spider
- does not build web. Hide in flowers and shrubs waiting for prey day and night.
Two-Tails Spider
- does not build web. Heavily camouflage as colour of tree trunk. Wait for small
prey at tree trunk 1m about ground.
Black House Spider
- builds tangle web with tunnel at house corner, window and garden shed.. Live
with young in summer. Male roving hunting for female at night.
Daddy-longlegs Spider
- builds tangle web indoor in dark corner. Easily found in garage and store room.
Web on ground or ceiling.
Comb- footed Spider
- builds untidy tangle wed with simple retreat. with sun exposure. Web in ground
level to 1m above ground. Love afternoon sun so mostly find in the west side of
the house.
Two-spined Spider - builds orb web at
night and hides under leave at day time. Web is 0.5 meter about ground.
Long-jawed
Spider - This spider build horizontal or inclined orb web about 20cm
in diameters. It builds its web at night and hide during the day. The web is 2
meters about the ground.
Silver Orb Spider - This
spider have a bright silver abdomen with black patterns. Its legs and head
are dark green in colour. Usually the build horizontal orb webs, but
sometimes vertical webs can be seen. They wait for their prey in the middle
of the web both day and night.
Net-casting Spider - They are brown
or grayish in colour, holding a rectangular net hanging up-side-down in low
vegetations just above ground. They are low moving and with big eyes. They hide
in day time and active at night.
Jumping Spider - Jumping spider usually
hunts on the vegetation on day time. They may use their silk to attach two leave
together as their retreat. It is usually about one meter above the ground.
Wolf Spider - The spider that you
see wandering across the garden path or between plants on a summer day or night
is quite likely a common Wolf Spider. They are fast moving, hunting in the open
ground and low vegetation during day and night.
Bird-dropping Spider - They look
like a bird-droppings sitting on plants 0.5-1 meter above ground.
Whip
Spider - At night this spider hangs on one or two dry silk between plants,
about one meter from ground. At day time it hind itself as small broken branch
caught on spider silk.
