How white-tailed spiders live
A white-tailed spider feeding on its spider prey. Photo: © R Jackson.
White-tailed spiders are vagrant hunters that live beneath bark, rocks, and in leaf litter and logs, in bushland and gardens, and they are often seen in houses. Tufts of specialised scopulate hairs on the ends of their legs allow them to walk easily on smooth or sloping surfaces. They make temporary silk retreats and spin disc-shaped egg sacs, each containing up to 90 eggs.
They are most active at night when they wander about hunting for other spiders, their preferred food. They have been recorded eating curtain-web spiders (Dipluridae), daddy-long-legs spiders (Pholcidae), Redback Spiders (Theridiidae) and Black House Spiders (Desidae). During summer and autumn white-tailed spiders are often seen in and around houses where they find both sheltered nooks and crannies and plenty of their favoured Black House Spider prey.
