T.E.R:R.A.I.N - Taranaki Educational Resource: Research, Analysis and Information Network


Spider (Australian Grey House) Badumna longinqua

Kingdom: Animalia 
Phylum: Arthropoda 
Class: Arachnida 
Order: Araneae 
Suborder: Araneomorphae 
Family: Desidae
Genus: Badumna 
Species: Badumna
Scientific name: Badumna longinqua
Common name: Australian Grey House Spider

The grey house spider is an Australian immigrant. of a body length: female: 14 mm male: 11 mm This species is commonly found in retreats of leaves and tangled webbing in green shrubs, tree trunks, logs,  It is also found in buildings and on car bodies  rock walls and buildings (in window frames, wall crevices, etc).It feeds on insects such as flies, moths, beetles.
Badumna longinqua itself is the favourite food of the whitetail spider.
The female spider never leaves her web unless forced to, but keeps on repairing it - old webs look untidy , grey and woolly from constant additions of silk.Its toxicity is uncertain; this species probably has the potential to cause mild illness but is rarely aggressive towards humans.  It hunts only at night.



The spider in defensive posture


Underside


Badumna longinqua photographed at night time sitting in its untidy web.







Brown house spider eggs sacs . Exit holes in old sacs