Cyrtophora moluccensis
Dome Tent-Web Spider Identification in Australia
Large tent-web spider that builds a strong, non-sticky dome or bowl-shaped web in warm Australian gardens, parks and open vegetation.
Usually low riskThe dome tent-web spider, Cyrtophora moluccensis, is an araneid orb-weaver relative whose web is usually the strongest field clue. Instead of a vertical wheel, it builds a firm horizontal or slightly angled sheet shaped like a dome or tent, with dense mesh and support threads above and below. The spider often hangs upside down beneath the sheet; a patterned abdomen, warm coastal setting and nearby egg sacs support the identification, but a web photograph without the spider should remain a Cyrtophora or tent-web possibility.
Quick identification
- Firm horizontal or slightly angled dome/sheet web rather than a vertical wheel orb
- Dense, non-sticky mesh with support threads above and below the sheet
- Spider often hangs upside down beneath the web near the central hub or peak
- Female can be much larger than the male; body may be yellow-green, brown, black-and-white or patterned
- Egg sacs may be suspended above the dome, with several nearby webs forming a loose colony
What to check next
Photograph the whole web and the spider together. Check for a dome-shaped non-sticky sheet, upper and lower support threads, the central retreat and the broad locality; body colour alone is much weaker evidence.
When to seek medical help
This spider is not usually considered dangerous. Avoid handling it and seek medical advice for severe pain, allergic symptoms, infection signs, spreading symptoms or uncertainty after any bite.
Where it is usually seen
Gardens, parks, shrubs, coastal vegetation, open woodland edges and other warm sheltered sites, especially in Queensland and northern or eastern Australian habitats. Northern adults may occur in loose colonies of individual webs suspended on communal lines; southern Cyrtophora species and juveniles can be more solitary.