Subject: Spiky spider
Geographic location of the bug: Victoria, Australia
Date: 01/03/2018
Time: 09:00 PM EDT
It was around February-June 2017 when I saw a spiky spider with thin red legs. It looked like the spikes where it’s shell. It was super tiny, so very hard to take a photo of but I hope the photo is okay. It was on a web which had been woven between two bushes and it was just sitting there. I hope I have given you enough information.
How you want your letter signed: From Bethany
Dear Bethany,
Your image is perfectly fine and you have supplied us with the necessary information to identify your Jewel Spider or Spiny Spider, Austracantha minax, a harmless Orbweaver pictured on the Brisbane Insect site where it states: “Jewel Spiders are also known as Six Spined Spider, Christmas spiders and Spiny Spiders. They can be found in summer, around Christmas time in Brisbane. Their abdomen has bright yellow and white patterns on black back ground. There are six spines on their back. Jewel Spiders build vertical orb web about one to two meters about ground. The radius of their webs are denser then other spider’s. It could be because of their short legs. They sit at the centre of their webs from day to night.“