Philoponella congregabilis
Hackled Orb-Weaver Spider Identification in Australia
Small humped Australian hackled orb-weaver often found in communal, messy-looking webs around foliage, shrubs and sheltered house edges.
Usually low riskHackled orb-weavers in the Philoponella group are small Australian web-building spiders that can be overlooked until several appear together in a shared web mass. Philoponella congregabilis is useful to compare when a tiny brown, grey or pale-patterned spider rests in a messy-looking colony of fine silk with a small orb section rather than roaming on the ground.
Quick identification
- Very small humped orb-weaver, often only a few millimetres long
- Brown, grey or pale mottled camouflage that can look like tiny debris in the web
- Often found in communal or connected web masses on shrubs, foliage, sheltered walls or house edges
- Fine hackled silk may look messy overall even though small orb sections or decorated silk flecks are present
What to check next
Check for tiny size, a humped body and several small spiders in connected fine silk. Compare with dewdrop spiders, silver orb-weavers and tiny house cobweb spiders if the web shape or body detail is unclear.
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
Shrubs, foliage, garden plants, sheltered house edges, hollow trees, rock overhangs and other protected web sites in eastern and south-eastern Australia.