Family Hersiliidae (Tree Spiders)

Last Updated on Saturday, 20 May, 2023 04:56:15 PM

The Five Arachnid families > Spiders of Borneo > Family Hersiliidae (Tree Spiders)

Family Hersiliidae
Tree Spider
長紡蛛科/長疣蛛科

The Family Hersiliidae (Two-Tailed Spiders) are Tree Trunk Spiders. There are about 150 species in this family. These spiders have two very prominent spinnerets that are almost as long as their abdomen. So they are also sometimes known as "two-tailed spiders."
also known and Longtail Spiders or Long-Spinneret Bark Spiders
The Hersilia (or Long-spinnered Bark Spiders) are a genus of tree trunk spiders in the Hersiliidae family. They are sometimes known as Two-tailed spiders, due to their greatly enlarged spinnerets.

Males grow up to 8 mm long, and females up to 10 mm. They can be found on tree trunks in gardens or jungle fringes in Africa, Asia and Australasia.
The tree trunk spiders are members of the tropical and semi-tropical Family Hersiliidae. There are about 150 species in this family. These spiders have two very prominent spinnerets that are almost as long as their entire abdomens. So they are also sometimes known as "two-tailed spiders." They range in size from about 10 mm (0.4 inch) to 18 mm (0.7 inch)long. Being very well camouflaged for life on the varicolored trunks of trees, they have an interesting way of capturing prey. Rather than making a web that captures prey directly, they lay a light coating of threads over an area of tree bark and wait hidden in plain sight for an insect to stray onto that patch. Once that occurs, they direct their spinnerets toward their prey and circle it all the while casting silk on it. When the hapless insect has been thoroughly immobilized they can bite it through its new shroud.

Family Hersiliidae
Genus Hersilia