Fun Bird Dropping Spider Facts For Kids

The bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata) is a species of Australian spider. It is known for its unique appearance that resembles bird droppings. It is also called the death’s head spider as the markings on its head look like a skull. It feeds on a particular species of male moth called the lawn armyworm. This spider mimics the pheromones released by female moths to attract male moths. It hangs in an upside-down posture on a silk thread, from a leaf or twig, to capture the unsuspecting male moth. Young spiders build a web to capture prey.After mating, the females lay around 200 eggs on a silk sheath and wrap it up in a ball of 0.4 in (12 mm) in diameter. Around 13 sacs, each containing 200 eggs, are kept together in a group. These sacs are silked together in a group, using strong silk thread, and are marbled brown in color. They are placed underneath the leaves in a group, beneath which the spider may be found awaiting prey. The young spiderlings are born with a pale coloration. Their bites may be able to cause mild illness in humans but are not fatal.If you liked reading this article, then do check out our facts about the Indian ornamental tarantula and green lynx spider!‍

Fun Bird-dropping Spider Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Male moths

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 200

How much do they weigh? N/A

How long are they? Male: 0.09 in (2.5 mm)Female: 0.4 in (12 mm)‍

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Black, brown, and cream

Skin Type Hairy

What were their main threats? Humans, Birds, And Wasps

What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated

Where you’ll find them? And Forests, Suburban Gardens, Open Woodlands

Locations Central, Eastern, And Southern Australia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Celaenia

Class Arachnida

Family Araneidae

Bird-Dropping Spider Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a bird-dropping spider?The bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata) is a species of spider belonging to the Araneidae family. It is native to Australia and its appearance resembles bird droppings.What class of animal does a bird-dropping spider belong to?Bird-dropping spiders belong to the class Arachnida. Another famous member of the same family is the garden orb weaver spider.How many bird-dropping spiders are there in the world?The exact number of individuals present in the world is not known. However, they are endemic to Australia, mostly found in the central, eastern, and southern parts.Where does a bird-dropping spider live?This dung-mimicking spider is native to Australia. It is found in central, eastern, and southern Australia. Central Australia, also known as the Alice Spring region, belongs to the Northern Territory of Australia. Eastern Australia comprises the states of New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland. It also comprises the islands of Tasmania.What is a bird-dropping spider’s habitat?The preferred habitat of a bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata) mostly includes suburban gardens. These are open garden landscapes in the backyard of residential areas, mostly on the outskirts of a city or town. These spiders are also found in woodlands. These areas comprise trees that overlap one another and form a continuous canopy. They also reside in various types of forests in Australia, including rainforests, mangrove forests, or other native forests in that region. They also inhabit wetlands that are low-lying areas seasonally or permanently flooded by water. They are also found in heaths which refer to a shrubland habitat formed on infertile and acidic soil. The predominant vegetation of this region includes low-growing perennial trees and shrubs.Who do bird-dropping spiders live with?It is not known who these spiders live with. Like other spiders, it can be assumed that they prefer living in solitary, except during the breeding season when they form pairs.How long does a bird-dropping spider live?The bird-dropping spider lifespan is around one year on average.How do they reproduce?The breeding season of this species ranges from late summer to early winter. After mating, the female bird-dropping spider starts making eggs sacs inside which it lays its eggs. It lays around 200 eggs on a silk sheet and ties them up into a ball-like structure that is almost 0.4 in (12 mm) in diameter. Around 13 sacs are silked together with a strong silk thread-like structure, also known as webbing. The egg sacs are marbled brown in color with dark lines. These 13 egg sacs are kept underneath the leaves of trees, neatly tied together in a group, beneath which the spider may be found awaiting prey. The female bird-dropping spider protects these 13 egg sacs from predators. The young spiders emerge during the late winter season or early spring.What is their conservation status?The status of the bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata) is Not Evaluated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature or IUCN Red List. However, the destruction of habitat and climate change are a few of the major threats encountered by this species.Bird-Dropping Spider Fun FactsWhat do bird-dropping spiders look like?They exhibit sexual dimorphism as the males are much smaller than the females. This spider has brown, black, and cream colors on its body. The shape and color of its body resemble a bird dropping. This is an adaptive feature of this Australian spider to avoid predators like birds and wasps. The markings present on its head look like a skull from above and hence it is also known as death’s head spider. They also have eight similar eyes. The abdomen is triangular in shape with a pair of humps on the rear end. It has spiny front legs that remain folded against the body. The young spiders have a pale coloration on their bodies when they are born.How cute are they?These spiders are not considered to be cute. However, their unique appearance, mimicking bird droppings, can be quite fascinating to look at.How do they communicate?Like other spiders, the Australian bird-dropping spider also communicates through pheromones, tactile senses, and by leaving silk along the ground. The pheromones released by it mimic the scent of the pheromones released by female moths. It also relies on its vision to perceive its surroundings.How big is a bird-dropping spider?Male bird-dropping spiders have a body length of 0.09 in (2.5 mm) while female bird-dropping spiders have a body length of 0.4 in (12 mm). They are smaller than a tarantula which is 2-4.5 in (5-11.4 cm) in length.How fast can bird-dropping spiders move?Not much is known about how fast this species of Australian spider can move. Like other spiders, it can be assumed that they move by using hydrolytic pressure of their body.How much does a bird-dropping spider weigh?The exact weight of a bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata) is not known. However, it can be assumed that the males weigh less than the females as they are much smaller and they measure only a couple of ounces.What are the male and female names of the species?Scientists do not have specific names to refer to the male and female species of bird-dropping spiders. They are commonly referred to as male bird-dropping spiders and female bird-dropping spiders.What would you call a baby bird-dropping spider?Baby bird-dropping spiders are known as spiderlings.What do they eat?The bird -dropping spider diet consists almost exclusively of male moths. This spider feeds on a particular species of male moths called the lawn armyworm. Young spiders or smaller spiders usually spin a web to catch their prey. Female spiders usually catch their prey by making use of their strong front legs. They are nocturnal hunters and capture the male moths through a unique technique. The adult spider releases pheromones that mimic the scent released by female moths to attract the male moths. It hangs from a leaf or twig in an upside-down position and catches the unsuspecting male moth using its strong legs. This technique of prey capturing is known as aggressive preying. The coloration of the spider, as well as its upside-down waiting posture to capture the prey, resembles a female moth.Are they poisonous?No, the bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata) is not considered to be poisonous and will not kill humans. However, its bite may be able to cause mild illness in humans. The Brazilian wandering spider is considered to be the most poisonous spider.Would they make a good pet?There have been no records of the bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata) being kept as a pet.Did you know…It belongs to the family Araneidae and members of this family are known as orb-weaver spiders. The word ‘orb’ means ‘circular’. It is named after the shape of its circular web that resembles spiral wheels.Why do they call it a bird-dropping spider?This species derives its name from their unique appearances mimicking bird droppings. The color, shape, and resting posture of these spiders resemble unappetizing bird droppings. This helps them to evade predators like birds and wasps.What do bird-dropping spiders look like?This Australian spider has markings on its head that resemble a skull. Hence, this species is also known as the death’s head spider. The males are around 0.09 in (2.5 mm) in length while the females are 0.4 in (12 mm) in length. This spider has brown, black, and cream colors on the body. The abdomen is triangular with two humps on the rear end. The strong front legs are spiny and remain folded against the body. The young spiders have a pale coloration that darkens as they mature.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arachnids from our nursery web spider facts and huntsman spider facts pages.You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable bird dropping spider coloring pages.

What type of animal is a bird-dropping spider?

The bird-dropping spider (Celaenia excavata) is a species of spider belonging to the Araneidae family. It is native to Australia and its appearance resembles bird droppings.

Fun Bird-dropping Spider Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Male moths

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 200

How much do they weigh? N/A

How long are they? Male: 0.09 in (2.5 mm)Female: 0.4 in (12 mm)‍

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Black, brown, and cream

Skin Type Hairy

What were their main threats? Humans, Birds, And Wasps

What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated

Where you’ll find them? And Forests, Suburban Gardens, Open Woodlands

Locations Central, Eastern, And Southern Australia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Celaenia

Class Arachnida

Family Araneidae

Fun Bird-dropping Spider Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Male moths

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 200

How much do they weigh? N/A

How long are they? Male: 0.09 in (2.5 mm)Female: 0.4 in (12 mm)‍

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Black, brown, and cream

Skin Type Hairy

What were their main threats? Humans, Birds, And Wasps

What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated

Where you’ll find them? And Forests, Suburban Gardens, Open Woodlands

Locations Central, Eastern, And Southern Australia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Celaenia

Class Arachnida

Family Araneidae

Fun Bird-dropping Spider Facts For Kids

What do they prey on? Male moths

What do they eat? Carnivore

Average litter size? 200

How much do they weigh? N/A

How long are they? Male: 0.09 in (2.5 mm)Female: 0.4 in (12 mm)‍

How tall are they? N/A

What do they look like? Black, brown, and cream

Skin Type Hairy

What were their main threats? Humans, Birds, And Wasps

What is their conservation status? Not Evaluated

Where you’ll find them? And Forests, Suburban Gardens, Open Woodlands

Locations Central, Eastern, And Southern Australia

Kingdom Animalia

Genus Celaenia

Class Arachnida

Family Araneidae