Will they visit?: The Golden Orb-weaving Spider (Nephila spp.), Garden Orb-weaving Spider (Eriophora spp.), and Christmas Spiders (Austracantha minax) are common in home gardens.
Natural Distribution: Common and widespread throughout the South West and Perth region
Austracantha minax – Lek Khauv (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Austracantha minax – Paul George – (CC BY 4.0)
Eriophora transmarina – Bill & Mark Bell (CCBYNCSA).jpeg
Nephila edulis – rogstanden (CC BY-NC 4.0)
Eriophora sp Garden Orb spider – KarenCullen
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Orb-weaving Spiders will readily use a variety of habitats.
Diet: Invertebrates
Water: Not required
ReWild Benefit: Pest Control
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Orb-weaving Spiders all share the ability to make suspended, sticky webs and many spanning several meters wide. Their webs are distinctive ‘spider web’ often built between openings in trees and shrubs where insects are likely to fly through.
Novel Shelter
Not required.
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Orb-weaving Spiders catch flying insects caught in their webs. Plant small shrubs and clumping grasses to provide foraging habitat in the garden. They also hunt for insects living amongst mulch and leaflitter around home gardens.
Providing sources of water
Not required.
ReWild Benefits
Spiders control pests (such as annoying flies) around the garden and benefit our neighbourhoods as we work to drive a healthy environment for our community. If you see a spider, you can record your sighting on the Atlas of Living Australia and help scientists monitor populations. It is a great place to find the name of different spider species.
