Community identification
Bird-dropping Spider (Young/Juvenile)
Celaenia excavata
- Order & Family
- Araneae: Araneidae
- Size
- Males 2-3mm, Females up to 12mm
Natural Habitat
Orchards, gardens, and forests throughout Australia
Diet & Feeding
Specializes in catching male moths by mimicking female moth pheromones
Behavior Patterns
Nocturnal hunters that do not spin a traditional web; they hang from foliage and wait to ambush prey. They use mimicry as camouflage to look like bird droppings to avoid predators.
Risks & Benefits
Harmless to humans; beneficial to the ecosystem by controlling moth populations.