A short, squat spider, from 3-11mm, common Australia wide, active in the day time. Some can be very white (if living in white flowers). Some can be quite yellow. They sometimes have yellow-reddish ends to the translucent legs, and black markings at the rear of the trapezoidal abdomen. The first and second pairs of legs are noticeably longer and thicker than the last 2 pairs. Lateral eyes are on projections. Males are much smaller. They generally hunt on flowers or other parts of plants matching their colour though they can change colour somewhat to match the plant. An insect visiting the flower for pollen or nectar is seized and bitten, then sucked dry, some much larger than the spider. Eggs are laid in a silk dish covered with a lid. After two weeks the spiderlings hatch, left to fend for themselves.
- Female with Ulysses butterfly
- Female with Skipper, a big meal
- Tiny adult male with adult female, getting it on
- Female, front on
- Female biting a Lynx spider (Oxyopes macilentus)
- From above on green foliage
- Praying for prey on Hibiscus flower
- Male from above
- Male adult palp
- Male with green colour
Female with Ulysses butterfly
Female with Skipper, a big meal
Tiny adult male with adult female, getting it on
Female, front on
This spider was inside a magnolia flower consuming the juices of a bee it had captured. We moved it temporarily into brighter light to take some photos then returned it to its flower.
Female biting a Lynx spider (Oxyopes macilentus)
This was a small spider, presumably juvenile, body length about 3mm.
From above on green foliage
Praying for prey on Hibiscus flower
Male from above
The male is much smaller, being around 2.5mm max, this one was about 2.2mm body length (without the palps).
Male adult palp
Male with green colour
