The Christmas Spider is known by several other names, most commonly Jewel Spider but also as Six Spined Spider or Spiny Spider.
Females have bright yellow and white patterns with a ring of black spines. Melanic females have the same shape but may be completely black. Males have smaller spines and have a yellow, brown, white and black pattern. Six spines protrude from the sides and bottom end of the abdomen.
Females are larger at 7 mm, males are 4 mm.
Opportunistic, insects.
Females sit in the middle of the web. Males can often be found in the vegetation around the perimeter of the web. Often in aggregations in which many webs are supporting each other.
Eggs sacs are red-brown, and can be a variety of shapes. They are usually attached to a twig near the web.
Improve your identification skills. Download your Christmas Spider guide here!
How many Females
Number of Males on the web
Egg sacs in web
November to February; can sometimes be seen from November to May.
The Spiny-backed Spider (Gasteracantha sacerdotalis or Thelacanta brevispina) is a very similar species with a white pattern on darker surface of the abdomen.
