Spiderbloggers

I took a drive down into the Otway Ranges, near Simpson, hunting for a summer flowering orchid. Didn't find the orchid but found quite a few of the six-spined spider, Gasteracantha sp. The less common black form was actually the dominant colour at this site, though both were there in good numbers.

I was lucky enough to witness a mating, and although the pictures aren't the best, I think you can follow what was happening. The females always hang under the web, and seem reluctant to be in a dorsally upward position. The smaller male (with a pink/red abdomen) approached from the right above the web. He seemed to stroke the female with his forelegs for a few seconds then moved on top of her. He produced a sperm-packet from his right pedipalp, a little golden blob, which he gently manouvered into position with his forelegs. The female was completely quiet throughout. At this point a short sharp shower sent me back to the car and when I returned in 10 minutes, the mating had finished and the male was making his way off the web. It's the first time I have actually witnessed a mating of any species, and it was quite the highlight of my day!

Fantastic photos! I had some Gasteracantha here a few years ago. I haven't seen them since until a few weeks ago, but that one seems to have died. My old ones created massive webs, with a few in them. The webs were incredibly strong. Were the ones you have photographed on large webs? Mine were a few metres across. Did the webs seem to overlap?

(Same excuse as I gave Steve for the long delay in noting these. My research work on oral cultures and the link to Stonehenge has just been released by my university, so I have been elsewhere tied up.) Sometimes I wished I had never strayed from the natural history I started my doctorate on. I had such a lovely time tonight out with my spiders.

The webs are very strong, and tend to overlap, especially when the spiders are in large numbers. I found them at Anglesea a few days ago too. I've always found them near water in the past, and they often spin webs across small creeks or drainage ditches. But the Anglesea ones were just in the bush, nowhere near any waterways. Curious.

This pic was taken a few years back near Pt. Henry in Geelong. If you squint a bit, you can see thousands of Gasteracantha and their webs, covering this little ditch. They extended along the ditch for about 30 metres, and covered the vegetation either side for about 3 metres. They were in good numbers right along the track leading to this ditch. I've never seen so many spiders in one place. It's also a good place for Nephila and the little silver dewdrop spiders, but it's always windy, and getting the photos is difficult. I'm in the mood now, so I might go for a wander later today and see what's around.

Squinting - and there's thousands. My half dozen isn't in the same league! Mine were nowhere near water. We are now planning a trip to Pt Henry. Any advice as to exact location? Is the birding pretty good as well? If so, it will be easy to get Damian down there!

So much is happening here, I am out for a few hours every night.

Wow! Those Gasteracantha are great! We have Micrathena here, they are quite spiny and absolutely cover the woodlands in the summer. The are some Gasteracantha in Florida, my aunt (who lives there) sent me one in a jar.

I used to coach kids gymnastics, and one of my charges moved to northern Queensland to live. I got a parcel from her a few months later, a box with a big, live, Nephila ornata from the new garden! She knew of my interest, and thought I would like it. It lived in an aquarium in our kitchen for almost two years.

Here is a photo of our prettiest Micrathena. Micrathena sagitatus. This is only the second one I have ever seen, I usually see M. gracilis and M. mitrata. I found her in my blackberry brambles while I was picking blackberries. I hope she stays around so I can observe her.

What a stunner. Please keep us updated on her progress. And yours!