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Garden Orb Web Spider - Eriophora transmarina
(Araneus transmarina )
FAMILY ARANEIDAE
- This page contains pictures and information about Garden
Orb Web Spiders
that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia.
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 - Leg to leg 50mm
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- The Garden Orb Web Spiders are also known as Araneus Spiders, Garden Orb-weaver,
Wheelweaving Spiders and Orbweaving Spiders. They are common in Brisbane and can be found in
almost any bushy backyard.
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- Garden
Orb Web Spiders are nocturnal spiders. They are large size spiders. The mature female spiders
are about 50mm (leg to leg) in size. Males are a bit smaller, about 25mm leg to
leg. The
spiders are brown in colour with variety patterns on their flat abdomen. They
build vertical orb web in garden and bushland. The spiders sit in the middle of
the web and waiting for insects in night time. They build webs between trees or
shrubs. The webs are usually one meter in diameter and about one or two meters
above ground. The spider leaves a hole at the centre of the web.
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- Garden
Orb Web Spiders build webs after sunset and move into retreat during the day
time. The retreat can be leaves or tree trunks near by. When they rest, their
legs fold up tightly against its body. If their webs are not damaged,
they may leave the webs for next night, or they keep the silk material by eating
them all before
sun rise. When they collect the web silks, usually they will leave the top
silk, the bridge thread. (There are some advantages for the spiders to leave the
bridge thread on site. Details are discussed in the this
page).
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 - Egg-sac with spiderlings just
hatched
Males are a bit smaller, about 30mm leg to leg.
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- Females make egg-sacs near, usually with their retreat, often hidden in
the curve of a leaf.
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- Please also visit this page on the Orb Web Structure.
Hide on leaf during the day
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- The
spiders are brown in colour with variety patterns on their flat abdomen.
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Start building wed on evening
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- Garden Orb Web Spider starts building web on the evening.
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Waiting prey on web the whole night
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- They
build vertical orb web in garden and bushland. The spiders sit in the middle of
the web and waiting for insects in night time.
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They build webs between trees or
shrubs. The webs are usually one meter in diameter and about one or two meters
above ground. The spider leaves a hole at the centre of the web.
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- Thank to Dr Volker W. Framenau
for the identification of this spider. As Dr Framenau suggested, it is impossible from the picture to identify this species. It may as well be
Eriophora biapicata, although E. transmarina is more common in the Brisbane area.
- Reference:
- 1. Wildlife
of Greater Brisbane - Queensland Museum 1995, p29.
- 2. Garden
orb-weaver - The
Find-a-spider Guide for Australian Spiders, University of Southern
Queensland, 2007.
- 3. A Guide to Australian Spiders - Densey Clyne, Melbourne, Nelson
1969, p66 (Araneus).
- 4. Australian Spiders in colour - Ramon Mascord, Reed Books Pty
Ltd, 1970, p86.
- 5. Eriophora transmarina (Garden Orb Weaver) - Save Our Waterways Now.
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[ Up ] [ Garden Orb Web Spider ] [ Orange Orb Weaver ] [ Green Orb Weaver ] [ Black Orb Weaver - Araneus rotundulus ] [ Bush Orb Weaver ] [ Leaf Nesting Spider ] [ Leaf Rolling Spider ] [ Winged Spider ]
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