|
Black House Spider found in curled up leaf of pot plant. The head is hidden under the legs. This spider is very common around the house where it can be found under eaves, around window frames, under window ledges and similar places. It makes white egg sacs similar in size and shape to the Redback spider.
Photograph copyright: ozwildlife - all rights reserved. Used with permission.
|
You don't normally see them out of their webs. This one was evicted from its web for the photo.
Photograph copyright: ozwildlife - all rights reserved. Used with permission.
|
|
|
BLACK HOUSE SPIDER FACTS
|
Description
The Black House Spider has dark brown to black carapace and legs. The abdomen is charcoal grey with a dorsal pattern of white markings
Size
Female is up to 18mm. Male is about 9mm
Environment
tree trunks, logs, rock walls and buildings (in window frames, wall crevices, etc).
Food
insects such as flies, moths, beetles
Breeding
The female Black House Spider never leaves her web unless forced to, but keeps on repairing it - old webs can look grey and woolly from constant additions of silk. Males, when ready to mate, go in search of females in their webs. The male plucks the web of the female to attract her attention.
Range
southern and eastern Australia.
Notes
The bite may be quite painful and cause local swelling. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sweating and giddiness are occasionally recorded.
Classification
| Class: | Arachnida | | Order: | Araneomorphae | | Family: | Desidae | | Genus: | Badumna | | Species: | longinqua | | Common Name: | Black House Spider |
|
|
