◦Did you know that there are over 1,500 different kinds of spiders in Australia!?

◦The average person swallows on average three spiders a year!!

◦There are over 6,000 species of flies, about 4,000 species of ants, and about 350 species of termites in Australia!!

◦Let’s take a look at a few Australian spiders now!

Description- The Brown Huntsman is a large spider that has a brown and black pattern. It has crab-like legs, and moves fast

Size- Up to 15 centimeters across the legs

Food- Eats any insects

Breeding- Can lay up to 200 eggs in an oval egg sac. Made of white papery silk.

Habitat- Houses, forested areas, gardens, and rainforests. Found under loose bark on trees, in crevices on rock walls and in logs, under rocks and slabs of bark on the ground.

Description-The Green Jumping Spider is bright green and has two dark lines on it’s abdomen. The female has a white pattern on the top of her head, around the eyes. The male has a dark "face" with white hairs on either side of the eyes.

Size- the male is about 12 millimeters, and the female is about 16 millimeters

Food- insects such as flies and moths that they pounce on. Hence the name.

Habitat- Usually found on green leaves

Description- Long Jawed Spiders have very long, slender legs that are often stretched out in front and behind along a twig or branch when the spiders are resting.

Size- The male can be up to 11 millimeters, and the female can be up to 15 millimeters.

Food- They build webs at night, and they eat insects.

Habitat- They build a small circular web in green shrubs, especially near water.

Description- Female Mouse Spiders are all black and male spiders are black with a bluish-white patch on the front of their abdomen. Mouse spider fangs move in and out sideways, and not up and down like other spiders.

Size- The male can be up to 15 millimeters, and the female can be up to 30 millimeters.

Food- Mainly insects, but they may eat small vertebrates, such as frogs and lizards and even other spiders.

Habitat- Mouse spiders are burrowing spiders found in the east coastal and highland regions of Australia. Burrows are near creeks, and are sometimes found in suburban gardens. The burrow may have one or two trapdoors and an oval shaped entrance. Females stay in or near the burrow, while males can be found wandering around during early winter, especially after rain.

Description- The Redback is a black spider with a round body. The female is black with a red stripe on the back. The newly-hatched spiders are white with darker spots on their back. As the young grow they darken, and develop red hourglass shaped marking on the underside, and a red or orange stripe on the back. Male Redback Spiders are much smaller than the female

Size- The female can be up to 12 millimeters, and the male can be up to 3 millimeters.

Food- Insects, other spiders, and other small creatures that get tangled in their web, such as small lizards.

Habitat- Found in dry sheltered areas around homes, gardens and parks. Sometimes found indoors.

Description- The Silver Orb Weaver has a silver body with black and yellow markings. It also has light green legs and

a dark green head.

Size- The female can be up to 11 millimeters, and the male, up to 8 millimeters.

Food- Any insects caught in the web.

Habitat- Builds a small orb web in shrubs and low plants. The web is usually on an angle. The spider will normally be sitting under the web with it’s underside facing up.

http://www.xs4all.nl/~ednieuw/australian/Spidaus.html

http://www.ozanimals.com/australian-spider-index.html

Red Back Spitting Spider St. Andrews Cross Spider

Spotted Ground Spider