Web Building Spiders

This page contains pictures and information about Web Building Spiders that we found in the Brisbane area, Queensland, Australia. For Spiders that do not build web, please visit this Hunting Spiders web site.



Spider once spelt 'spinder' which simply means 'spinner'. All spiders has their silk glands at their bottom of their abdomen, the back side of their body. Some spiders build webs and some do not. But all spiders make silk egg sac to protect their young.



See more about spider in general in Spider Scientific Facts page. We also has the Quick Field Guide of spiders found in Brisbane. This includes most of the common species found in Brisbane near-by area and South East Queensland, Australia.

All orb-web building spiders were previously included in one family Araneidae, or in the older literature called Argiopidae.

Different families was separated from Araneidae due to certain morphological differences and the way in which they capture and consume their prey. Araneidae build orb webs with dense center while Tetragnathidae and Nephilidae build orb webs with open centre.

Family: Araneidae, Orb web spiders
The family name Araneidae is now preferred, in the older literature they are called Argiopidae, which included all orb web building spiders, which are now separated into other families. This is a large family. The spiders in this family range from small to large in side. All species in this family, if they make webs, make vertical or horizontal orb webs.

Family Nephilidae, Golden-web Spiders
The group has only recently been raised to family level status. It includes the Australia's biggest spiders, the Golden Orb Weavers. They were formerly grouped in the families Araneidae and Tetragnathidae.



Family: Tetragnathidae, Stretch spiders, Long-jawed Orbweavers
This family is newly separated from the family Araneidae. They also build orb webs, but a little different from Araneidae. They build orb webs with open centre while members in family Araneidae build orb webs with dense center.

Family: Desidae, House spider Spiders in this family are small to medium size spiders, with round or oval abdomen dark or brown in colour. Their eight eyes are in two rows of four. They build tangled web with a tubular retreat, so they are also called 'cobweb' spiders. The egg sac is made in the funnel and the male often stays with the female.

Family: Pholcidae, Daddy long-leg spiders
They are small spiders with very long, thin legs. Eight pearly eyes in three groups, three eyes group in each side and two in the middle.. The abdomen is long and cylindrical. The female warps the eggs with a few stand of silk and hold in her chelicerae.

Family: Theridiidae, Comb-Footed Spiders
They are commonly called Comb-Footed Spiders. The famous Red Back Spider is in this family. Usually they build tangled webs under stones, against fences or walls. The distinguishing feature of this family is the row of spines on the tip of the fourth legs, which are used to comb out wide swathes of silk to entangle their prey. Their eyes are in two rows of four.

Family: Deinopidae, Net-casting spiders
Species in this family are large and slow moving spiders. They have long body and stick like legs. Their bodies are light brown or grey in colour. They do not build permanent web, instead, they hold their net and throw it towards their prey. Net-casting spiders are active at night. They hide in the middle of the plants over leave or ground waiting for prey passing by.
Cribellate Spiders
Family Uloboridae, Uloborid spiders
Spiders in this family do not have poison glands. They capture prey only rely on wrapping by silk. They build small incomplete orb web, mostly horizontal, usually not as perfect as those built by spiders in other web building families. They use different type of silk, known as cribellate silk which is woolly appearance. Those spiders sometimes find live in group with individual webs loosely connected.


Unknown Spiders
In this page there are the spiders that yet to be identified. Please advise if you know any of them.

For Spiders that do not build web, please visit this Hunting Spiders web site.

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