
Community identification
Bird Dropping Spider
Celaenia excavata
- Order & Family
- Araneae: Araneidae
- Size
- Females 12mm; Males 2.5mm
Natural Habitat
Orchards, gardens, and bushland throughout Australia
Diet & Feeding
Specializes in catching male moths by mimicking female moth pheromones
Behavior Patterns
Diurnal mimicry where they sit motionless on leaves during the day to look like bird droppings; nocturnal hunters using a chemical lure
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to humans; beneficial to the ecosystem as they help control moth populations naturally