Bird Poop Mimic Spider (or Bird-dropping Spider)
Scientific Name: Celaenia excavata
Order & Family: Order Araneae, Family Araneidae
Size: Females reach up to 12-15 mm; males are much smaller, around 2-3 mm.
Natural Habitat
Found in gardens and forests, often resting on the upper side of leaves in urban and suburban areas across Australia.
Diet & Feeding
Strict carnivorous diet; specifically, they attract male moths by releasing a chemical that mimics the pheromones of female moths.
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal hunters that sit motionless during the day to mimic bird droppings as a defense against predators (crypsis). They do not build typical orb webs but hang from a single thread of silk to catch prey at night.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to humans; their bite is not considered toxic to people. They are beneficial to the ecosystem by controlling moth populations in gardens.
Identified on: 3/6/2026