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Plebs eburnus (Keyserling 1886) Bush Orb Weaver

A very common small to medium sized spider with colourful markings found in dry scrub in eastern Australia, especially coastal Queensland. The female builds a vertical orb web and stays there day and night. The web of some of these spiders has been seen to be decorated with nearly vertical stabilimentum (like a clockface at 5 minutes to 5 or its mirror image). Val Davies in 1988 found features in this spider inconsistent with true Araneus species. It has since been redescribed as Plebs which means of the common people referring to its widespread abundance in eastern Australia.. The species name eburnus can mean made of ivory, decorated with ivory, made partially out of ivory, white as ivory. ♀ 8mm ♂ 5mm

Female from above, on leaf


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female from underneath, showing epigynum


Bush Orb Weaver
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female face on, with wrapped prey


This food parcel was probably prepared by some other spider or insect, this spider just got lucky.

Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte Lake Coroibah Noosa River

Female face on, on stick


Spider Eriophora sp Bush Orb Weaver
Photo: Robert Whyte Obi Obi Creek near Kenilworth

Female from above, on stick


Eriophora sp
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female face on, feeding, orange yellow colour variation


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female from above, pattern variation


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female from above, mostly beige with strong markings


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female face on, and above, pattern and colour variation


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female on stick, pattern and colour variation


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female, green colour variation, from above


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female, green colour variation, from behind


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female, green colour variation, from side


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Another female, prominent black moth-wings figure


This female body length about 8mm featured a strongly delineated figure (the W-shaped blob). It was collected on the weedy creekbank at the SOWN nursery on Paten Road The Gap on Saturday 6 June 2009.

Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Another female, underneath


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male Araneus sp probably A. eburnus


This male is definitely Araneus and quite possibly A. eburnus. It has the characteristic figure on the front upper section of the abdomen, and the hint of the scalloped pattern common to some Araneus and Eriophora. While the picture is not at an angle to be definitive it is most likely A. eburnus. Body length 4mm.

Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male, Chapel Hill


This specimen collected at Green Hill Reservoir, Chapel Hill.

Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male, Chapel Hill


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Male adult, showing palps


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female adult 8710 in alcohol, facing


'Araneus' eburnus 8710
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female adult 8710 in alcohol, underneath


'Araneus' eburnus 8710
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female adult 8710 in alcohol, side view


'Araneus' eburnus 8710
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female adult 8710 in alcohol, from above


'Araneus' eburnus 8710
Photo: Robert Whyte

Female Venman Park Bushland 151010


Araneus eburnus
Photo: Dr Greg Anderson

 
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