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Alien Face? First observed this Bird Dung&#039;s Spider - Cyrtarachne sp. in mid-October when a local hiking buddy saw it at a walking path between 2 residential areas. Was then able to see this adult female regularly each time I pass by the place.<br /> <br /> Towards mid-November, started to notice egg sacs glued under leaves on the same plant :<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html" title="This is my Ball!"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2994/125126_thumb.jpeg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=rWXFFMgSp2E%2BSt5ACvoq8LN1Wi8%3D" width="200" height="150" alt="This is my Ball! Female Bird Dung&#039;s Spider - Cyrtarachne sp. with one of her egg sac, total of 3 egg sacs were seen on the same plant. Bird Dung&#039;s Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider" /></a></figure><br /> <br /> Unfortunately, towards end-November, the plant the Spider and egg sacs were found were uprooted when local authorities cleared the path way using bull dozer :<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125127/egg_sacs_of_bird_dungs_spider_-_cyrtarachne_sp.html" title="Egg Sacs of Bird Dung&#039;s Spider - Cyrtarachne sp."><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2994/125127_thumb.jpg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=1kLorOvUxWdH4Hv0xBL7ZEaJw0Q%3D" width="200" height="150" alt="Egg Sacs of Bird Dung&#039;s Spider - Cyrtarachne sp. Towards end-November, local authorities was clearing the path way using a bull dozer, and the plant that the Mother Bird Dung&#039;s Spider and her egg sacs were found, were uprooted. 2 egg sacs can be seen in the picture, a 3rd one was found on another leaf<br /> <br /> Adult female and un-hatched egg-sac :<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html Bird Dung&#039;s Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider" /></a></figure><br /> <br /> Thinking the egg sacs will be damaged/lost due to the uprooted plant, I decided to collect all 3 egg sacs home to keep in a container for monitoring.<br /> <br /> Was relief when the eggs hatched, with hundreds of spiderlings :<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125128/spiderlings.html" title="Spiderlings!"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2994/125128_thumb.jpeg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=gSyaS%2FZ1uBu3bH0Mn%2FxB1QvdZRU%3D" width="200" height="150" alt="Spiderlings! Big relief yesterday when the spiders hatched, more than hundred of them!<br /> <br /> Adult female and un-hatched egg-sac :<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html<br /> <br /> Baby spiders were released to the general area the adult female were found. Bird Dung&#039;s Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider" /></a></figure><br /> <br /> Close-up of one of the spiderling, surprised that it does not looks anything close to the adult :<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125129/tiny.html" title="Tiny!"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2994/125129_thumb.jpeg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=%2BoDuTIr58lzObZrGy8NwQtrSU7w%3D" width="200" height="152" alt="Tiny! One of the spiderling of Bird Dung&#039;s Spider - Cyrtarachne sp., on a toothpick, body size is just around 1 - 1.5 mm.<br /> <br /> Adult female and un-hatched egg-sac :<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html<br /> <br /> Baby spiders were released to the general area the adult female were found. Bird Dung Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider" /></a></figure><br /> <br /> Close-up of the egg sac that the spiders came out from :<br /> <br /> <figure class="photo"><a href="https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125130/hole_in_the_ball.html" title="Hole in the Ball!"><img src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/media.jungledragon.com/images/2994/125130_thumb.jpeg?AWSAccessKeyId=05GMT0V3GWVNE7GGM1R2&Expires=1759968010&Signature=s%2Ff2iJx8RxbaF3x25EDf3565%2BYY%3D" width="200" height="152" alt="Hole in the Ball! The tiny hole that the spiderlings hatched from, out of the 3 eggs sac I collected, noticed one of them already had this tiny hole and I had initially thought it was parasited, but now knows that was not the case, but was an egg sac already hatched when I found/collected it.<br /> <br /> Adult female &amp; unhatched egg sac :<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html<br /> <br /> Baby spiders were released to the general area the adult female were found. Bird Dung&#039;s Spider,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider" /></a></figure><br /> <br /> Bird Dung's Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider Click/tap to enlarge Promoted

Alien Face?

First observed this Bird Dung's Spider - Cyrtarachne sp. in mid-October when a local hiking buddy saw it at a walking path between 2 residential areas. Was then able to see this adult female regularly each time I pass by the place.

Towards mid-November, started to notice egg sacs glued under leaves on the same plant :

This is my Ball! Female Bird Dung's Spider - Cyrtarachne sp. with one of her egg sac, total of 3 egg sacs were seen on the same plant. Bird Dung's Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider


Unfortunately, towards end-November, the plant the Spider and egg sacs were found were uprooted when local authorities cleared the path way using bull dozer :

Egg Sacs of Bird Dung's Spider - Cyrtarachne sp. Towards end-November, local authorities was clearing the path way using a bull dozer, and the plant that the Mother Bird Dung's Spider and her egg sacs were found, were uprooted. 2 egg sacs can be seen in the picture, a 3rd one was found on another leaf<br /> <br /> Adult female and un-hatched egg-sac :<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html Bird Dung's Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider


Thinking the egg sacs will be damaged/lost due to the uprooted plant, I decided to collect all 3 egg sacs home to keep in a container for monitoring.

Was relief when the eggs hatched, with hundreds of spiderlings :

Spiderlings! Big relief yesterday when the spiders hatched, more than hundred of them!<br /> <br /> Adult female and un-hatched egg-sac :<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html<br /> <br /> Baby spiders were released to the general area the adult female were found. Bird Dung's Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider


Close-up of one of the spiderling, surprised that it does not looks anything close to the adult :

Tiny! One of the spiderling of Bird Dung's Spider - Cyrtarachne sp., on a toothpick, body size is just around 1 - 1.5 mm.<br /> <br /> Adult female and un-hatched egg-sac :<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html<br /> <br /> Baby spiders were released to the general area the adult female were found. Bird Dung Spider,Cyrtarachne,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider


Close-up of the egg sac that the spiders came out from :

Hole in the Ball! The tiny hole that the spiderlings hatched from, out of the 3 eggs sac I collected, noticed one of them already had this tiny hole and I had initially thought it was parasited, but now knows that was not the case, but was an egg sac already hatched when I found/collected it.<br /> <br /> Adult female & unhatched egg sac :<br /> <br /> https://www.jungledragon.com/image/125126/this_is_my_ball.html<br /> <br /> Baby spiders were released to the general area the adult female were found. Bird Dung's Spider,Cyrtarachne sp,Malaysia,Penang,Spider


    comments (8)

  1. View Christine Young's profile
    Christine Young
    Lion
    View Lion class
    LOVE this so much!! First -- the spider is incredible, second -- your documentation is fantastic, and third -- I love that you rescued them! Well done! Posted 3 years ago, modified 3 years ago
    1. View Albert Kang's profile
      Albert Kang
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Thanks, Christine.
      Indeed it is not a common spider, all the more to make sure there's a chance for the next generation :)       Posted 3 years ago
      1. View Christine Young's profile
        Christine Young
        Lion
        View Lion class
        Yes!! Posted 3 years ago
  3. View William Bodine's profile
    William Bodine
    Lion
    View Lion class
    What insect would eat bird excrement? Perfect camouflage! Posted 3 years ago
    1. View Albert Kang's profile
      Albert Kang
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Actually there are some bugs that will feast on bird excrement and this mimicry is with the intention to attracts flies and moths that could be interested to feast on it, but become the feast! :D Posted 3 years ago
      1. View William Bodine's profile
        William Bodine
        Lion
        View Lion class
        Yikes, had no idea! Posted 3 years ago
  5. View Calbost Niel's profile
    Calbost Niel
    Lion
    View Lion class
    Amazing shot Posted 3 years ago
    1. View Albert Kang's profile
      Albert Kang
      Lion
      View Lion class
      Thanks, Calbost Niel :) Posted 3 years ago

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By Albert Kang

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Uploaded Dec 3, 2021. Captured Nov 27, 2021 15:01.
country flag of Malaysia Explore Malaysia 6,517 3,884 0
  • TG-6
  • f/6.3
  • 1/200s
  • ISO200
  • 18mm

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