SPIDERS - Flower Spiders
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Flower spiders sit within flowerheads with their back legs anchored to the petals and their front pairs of legs open, awaiting passing prey. When a fly, bee or even wasp lands on the flower, the spider grabs it and quickly bites it in the back of the neck, immediately immobilising it.
DESCRIPTION
The round abdomens of flower spiders are usually white or pale yellow, with patterns of green, pink or red. The cephalothorax may be translucent yellow or green, as are the long legs. There are more than 30 Australian species belonging to this group.
LIFE HISTORY
The flat, white egg sac is usually built by the female underneath a leaf or within a folded leaf. There are generally less than 40 eggs per sac and they take about two weeks to hatch.
BEHAVIOUR
Adults spend their time sitting immobile on the edge of a flower, awaiting prey such as flies, bees, plant bugs and even other spiders. Occasionally more than one flower spider may be seen hunting at the same flowerhead. The spider usually chooses flowers of similar colour to itself, remaining undetected bu predators as well as prey.
HABITAT
Found in heathlands, woodlands, dry and wet forest and suburban areas.
VENOM
Flower spiders are not known to bite.
DISTRIBUTION
All States and Territories
SIZE
Male body length: 3-5mm
Female body length: 4-8mm
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Thank you Dave,
We have crab spiders such as the Leaf-rolling Crab Spider which looks very similar in shape to the Flower Spider but generally darker colours.
The crab spiders here are usually white or yellow. They can sit in the center of a yellow flower and be undetected. They are awesome! Not to promote my own hub...but you should look at the spider pictures in my hub Insect Observation. It has a couple of spiders I have not yet identified. ds
What a beautiful spider. I found you via one of davenmidtown's hubs. Up & awesome.
Thank you :)
davenmidtown Level 7 Commenter 7 months ago
I love these spiders. We call them crab spiders or maybe that is a similar species. They startle me sometimes because they are so good at hiding. Awesome hub Jonny!