Bug Identifier
Bird Dropping Spider
Community identification

Bird Dropping Spider

Celaenia excavata

Order & Family
Araneae: Araneidae
Size
Females 12mm; Males 2.5mm
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

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