The amazing net-casting spiders
These spiders are called net-casting spiders because of their remarkable way of catching prey. Once you see one in action you’ll probably be as much of a fan of them as I am. Australia's most common net-casting spiders are called Dinopis.

 

This Dinopis species was found in an inner-city suburb of Sydney


If you live in Sydney there's a good chance you live pretty close to one of these amazing spiders. But thanks to their camouflage there's also a good chance you've never seen one. Without doubt, these spiders are some of my favourites and I always get a kick out of finding one. (Arachnophobes should not take me literally here. While some spiders may bite I’ve never met one that will kick you).


This Dinopis spider's body markings match the dead leaf almost perfectly

Casting their nets
The net which Dinopis makes is specially constructed so that it can be stretched. The spider hangs face-down over some place that some insects might walk, and it holds the net ready with its front legs. It then patiently waits for a critter to walk underneath it. Once something wanders within range the whole net-cast-catch thing is over in less than a second. I'll point out that they tend to do this hanging-with-a-net thing more often at night, so in the daytime you're more likely to just see them hanging motionless, without their net, looking more like a bunch of twigs.


A Dinopis spider with its net, waiting for something to wander within reach



From this angle it's possible to see the large pair of eyes which Dinopis spiders use to watch out for approaching prey. This angle also gives a hint about why these spiders are sometimes called 'ogre-faced spiders'



A Dinopis spider with its egg sac



Close-up shot of the egg sac

Imagine throwing a tea-towel over a bird and you've got a good idea of Dinopis's technique with its net.

Of course, if you’ve ever tried to catch a bird by throwing a tea towel over it (which I have) then you'll realise tea towels fall really slowly and birds fly away really quickly. But as usual I'm getting way off the point. Dinopis moves fast. It stretches its net out and lunges it over the critter. It doesn't really throw the net because it's holding onto it all the time. Any critter caught this way doesn't stand much chance of getting away.

Are they dangerous?
No, these spiders are not considered dangerous. Cute and amazing perhaps, but not dangerous.

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Images of Dinopis spiders




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