Author Koh Lin â—¦

I would love to tell you a tale… not any tail… in fact I am not sure what lizard tail this is, but I am thinking that the lizard got away by the skin of it’s tail… which they left in the web for the fearsome Golden Orb-weaver Spider…

In the following series of images, you can see the remains of the lizard tail (most likely a gecko of some kind). The lizard probably got away by dropping its tail (some are known for that). The next image shows the sizeable Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) that was close by. The Golden Orb Weaver then moves the tasty bit of tail up to into the food pantry line that hangs above her. In the final image the tail is gone (mostly likely consumed by the Golden Orb Weaver Spider).

So now… let us prey… said the spider to the fly…

Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with prey (fly), Alice Springs NT
Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with prey (a fly)

or should that be… no friends among kindred spiders…

White Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis) with prey Mangrovia albida, Brisbane QLD © Stefan Jones
White Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis) with prey Mangrovia albida © Stefan Jones

jiminy cricket… is no-one safe…

Long-tailed St. Andrews Cross Spider (Argiope protensa) with grasshopper, Alice Springs NT
Long-tailed St. Andrews Cross Spider (Argiope protensa) with grasshopper

even the unknown passer-by should watch out for the ambush…

Milky Flower Spider (Zygometis xanthogaster), Brisbane QLD © Stefan Jones
Milky Flower Spider (Zygometis xanthogaster) with prey © Stefan Jones

that was no flower that you had your face in…

White Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis) with wasp (Bembix sp), Brisbane QLD © Stefan Jones
White Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis) with prey, a wasp (Bembix sp) © Stefan Jones

is nowhere safe…

Bee (Lasioglossum Parasphecodes sp.) and spider (Crab Spider Runcinia acuminata), Ballandean QLD © Marc Newman
Bee (Lasioglossum Parasphecodes sp.) and spider (Crab Spider Runcinia acuminata) © Marc Newman

the gossamer web for the unwary…

Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with prey (Caper White Butterfly), Olive Pink Botanic Garden NT © Dorothy Latimer
Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with prey (Caper White Butterfly) © Dorothy Latimer

and size does not matter…

Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with Tau Emerald Dragonfly (Hemicordulia tau) prey, Alice Springs NT
Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis) with Tau Emerald Dragonfly (Hemicordulia tau)

when you are trapped and left dangling…

Tau Emerald Dragonfly (Hemicordulia tau) in the web of Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider (Trichonephila edulis), Alice Springs NT
Tau Emerald Dragonfly (Hemicordulia tau) in the web of Australian Golden Orb Weaver Spider

and certainly no crossing this spider said Andrew…

Long-tailed St. Andrews Cross Spider (Argiope protensa) with fly, Alice Springs NT
Long-tailed St. Andrews Cross Spider (Argiope protensa) with fly

We hope you enjoyed this light-hearted blog… and maybe a lesson to be learnt… 😀


If you want to see more about these spiders, check out our Fauna section:


Check out more blogs and contribution by Koh Lin.