Araneus bradleyi, known as the Enamelled Spider is a common Australian spider belonging to the family Araneidae. It occurs in Tasmania

Tasmania

Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...

, New South Wales

New South Wales

New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...

, Queensland

Queensland

Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...

 and Victoria, Australia.

Description and Habit

The body length of males is 8 to 9 mm and females from 14 to 18 mm. The abdomen

Abdomen

In vertebrates such as mammals the abdomen constitutes the part of the body between the thorax and pelvis. The region enclosed by the abdomen is termed the abdominal cavity...

has an enamelled appearance which varies in different parts of the country. In some areas different forms appear side by side. Some are a pure jade colour. The egg sac is round in shape, flat on the bottom where it is fastened down, of red brown silk of a woolly appearance. The eggs are 1 mm in diameter, in a sticky mass.

The Enamelled Spider hunts in the web at night, and often retreats to surrounding vegetation in the day. Their prey is small flying insects caught in a sloping orb web, around one metre above ground level.