Bird Dropping Spider
Scientific Name: Celaenia excavata
Order & Family: Araneae: Araneidae
Size: Females up to 12 mm; males much smaller at around 2.5 mm
Natural Habitat
Gardens, orchards, and woodland areas across Australia
Diet & Feeding
Exclusively male moths, which they lure using a chemical mimic of female moth pheromones
Behavior Patterns
Night hunters that remain motionless during the day, relying on their resemblance to bird droppings to avoid predators; they sit on life-like silk platforms
Risks & Benefits
Non-aggressive and not considered dangerous to humans; they benefit ecosystems by controlling moth populations
Identified on: 4/30/2026