Enamelled spider

Araneus bradleyi

''Araneus bradleyi'', known as the enamelled spider is a common Australian spider belonging to the family Araneidae. It occurs in Tasmania, New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria, Australia.
Enamel spider (Plebs bradleyi) These lightweight spiders (about 18mm body length) show much variation on the abdomen. Almost always attractive though. The name has recently been changed from Araneus to Plebs. Araneus bradleyi,Australia,Geotagged,Plebs bradleyi,Spring

Appearance

The body length of males is 8 to 9 mm and females from 14 to 18 mm. The abdomen has an enamelled appearance which varies in different parts of the country. In some areas different forms appear side by side. Some are a pure jade colour. The egg sac is round in shape, flat on the bottom where it is fastened down, of red brown silk of a woolly appearance. The eggs are 1 mm in diameter, in a sticky mass.

The enamelled spider hunts in the web at night, and often retreats to surrounding vegetation in the day. Their prey is small flying insects caught in a sloping orb web, around one metre above ground level.

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Taxonomy
KingdomAnimalia
DivisionArthropoda
ClassArachnida
OrderAraneae
FamilyAraneidae
GenusAraneus
SpeciesA. bradleyi
Photographed in
Australia