Austracantha minax

Christmas Spider, Jewel Spider at Molonglo Valley, ACT

Austracantha minax at Molonglo Valley, ACT - 14 Oct 2017
Austracantha minax at Molonglo Valley, ACT - 14 Oct 2017
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Identification history

Austracantha minax 2 Feb 2018 KimPullen
Austracantha minax 1 Feb 2018 HarveyPerkins
Unidentified 18 Nov 2017 HarveyPerkins

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4 comments

HarveyPerkins wrote:
   19 Nov 2017
I have no idea what these little cocoons are made by. I've submitted under 'moths' but I really don't know. The binding of the cocoon to the stems suggests the structure was constructed from the inside and working outwards (whereas lepidopterous cocoons normally start on the outside and finish inside). So maybe an egg case? My only other comment at this stage is that the skeletonising of a eucalypt leaf by a Uraba lugens larva is evident in the second photo.
CathB wrote:
   31 Jan 2018
I collected one of these a while ago and was surprised to see spiders hatch from it. With some googling, I discovered these are the egg sacs of the Jewel Spider, Austracantha minax
HarveyPerkins wrote:
   1 Feb 2018
Thank you CathB! Great to have that mystery solved. I thought it had to be an egg sac of some sort but I didn't think of a spider as a possibility. Although I can't recall seeing Christmas/Jewel spiders at this particular location this year, they are abundant just across Caswell Drive (as was) on the lower slopes of Black Mountain.
lebobo wrote:
   18 Jul 2020
Hi. Thanks for this conversation. I have 4 of these egg sacks in my lime tree, a tree were during summer Christmas jewel spiders were living (don't know were they hide during winter) First noticed in February and after 5 months in July I could not resist to cut one off the tree and see what was inside. To my surprise there were many many very small spiders in the cocoon. Porongurup WA South West.

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Location information

Sighting information

  • 2 Abundance
  • 14 Oct 2017 09:28 AM Recorded on
  • HarveyPerkins Recorded by

Additional information

  • 12mm to 25mm Animal size

Species information

Record quality

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  • More than one media file
  • Confirmed by an expert moderator
  • Nearby sighting(s) of same species
  • GPS evidence of location
  • Description
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