The Two-tailed Spider, or Tamopsis species is one of the most interesting spiders to be found in the garden, and with the weather starting to warm up a little, a few can again be found on their favourite trees. Those trees are the White Brittle Gum, E. mannifera, and the Angophora costata, both smooth-barked, with dimples that the spiders often call home. They are very fast hunting spiders that don’t use web as a means of capturing prey, if you disturb one it can be on the opposite side of the trunk in the blink of an eye. Masters of camouflage, they position themselves where they blend in with the bark, and also appear to have the ability to change colour to match their surroundings. The “tails” referred to in the common name are elongated spinnerets, and at present there are forty eight Australian species known.

Female close up showing spinnerets.

Female showing pedipalps.

Male showing pedipalps.

The female fashions a suspended egg sac.

The next two images are of female and male spiders on angophora bark.

Male and female blending in with markings on brittle gum bark.

And finally, new season male and female just photographed.

Click to enlarge.

Reference and further reading.

A Field Guide to Australian Spiders,
Robert Whyte and Greg Anderson.

 

 

Two severe frosts have caused havoc in the garden, nearly all the Hakea, Grevillea, and Kunzea baxteri flowers have been destroyed, and the foliage  of many shrubs badly damaged. Even the foliage of the Lemon-scented Teatree, L. petersonii, is browned off to a height of almost three metres. Consequently honeyeaters have become scarce, although there are still plenty of correa flowers for the occasional spinebill. That said though, a couple of New Hollands flew in and found sustenance in a camellia in our neighbour’s garden.

The Grevillea Moonlight overhangs the big Hakea Burrendong Beauty, where there were thirty odd Spiny Spiders during the warmer months. They are long gone of course, but in the grevillea there are reminders of their stay, numerous egg sacs ready to renew the population next season. Another small wonder from the world of spiders.

The Grey Shrike-thrushes and Scarlet Robins are still enjoying life in the garden and nearby, very confiding and tolerant of the photographer.

Even though living and nesting in close proximity to the humans, the Willie Wagtails never seem to become as trusting, maintaining a healthy degree of suspicion.

The Yellow-rumped Thornbills in the garden flock don’t pay much attention to the photographer, but getting a good shot as they hop about incessantly gathering food can be difficult. This one landed on a wire giving a brief opportunity.

This Grey Fan didn’t think much of the cold wind….

Click to enlarge.