Leaf-curling spider fact sheet | Field of Mars EEC

What are leaf-curling spiders?

Leaf-curling spiders are small native Australian spiders that build orb webs among shrubs, trees and garden plants. They are named after the curled leaf shelter they make in the middle of their web.

The scientific name of the leaf-curling spider is Phonognatha graeffei. These spiders use silk to lift a leaf into their web, curl it into a tube and hold it in place. The spider hides inside the leaf with only some of its legs touching the web, ready to feel vibrations from trapped insects.

Leaf-curling spiders are often found in bushland, parks and gardens. Their curled leaf retreats can make them easier to notice than the spider itself.

Leaf-curling spiders have pale green and black patterns on their abdomen.

Leaf curling spiders use silk to lift a leaf into their web, curl it into a tube and hold it in place.

Where do leaf-curling spiders live?

Leaf-curling spiders are found in many parts of Australia and are commonly noticed in eastern and southern Australia. They live in open woodland, forest, bushland edges, parks and suburban gardens.

They build their webs among vegetation, often between twigs, branches or garden plants. A suitable habitat needs flying insects for food, leaves for shelters and enough plants to hold the web in place.

At Field of Mars Reserve, shrubs, trees, leaf litter and healthy bushland edges provide many small habitats for spiders and other invertebrates.

A curled leaf suspended in an orb web provides shelter for a leaf-curling spider.

What do leaf-curling spiders eat?

Leaf-curling spiders are predators. They catch insects that fly or stumble into their sticky orb webs.

When an insect is trapped, the spider feels the vibrations through its legs. It rushes out from the curled leaf, bites the prey and may wrap it in silk before feeding. Like other spiders, leaf-curling spiders use venom to help subdue their prey.

By catching insects, leaf-curling spiders help control small animal populations in gardens and bushland.

Leaf-curling spiders build orb webs that catch flying insects.

What is the life cycle of a leaf-curling spider?

Leaf-curling spiders hatch from eggs into spiderlings. As they grow, they shed their hard outer covering in a process called moulting.

A male leaf-curling spider may move into the leaf retreat of a female and stay near her until she is ready to mate. After mating, the female builds a separate leaf nursery for her eggs.

The female folds or curls a leaf, lines it with silk and lays her eggs inside. She seals the leaf with more silk and hangs it near vegetation, away from the main web. When the spiderlings hatch, they leave the egg shelter and begin building tiny webs of their own.

A female leaf-curling spider prepares a folded leaf egg shelter.

A female leaf-curling spider seals a folded leaf egg shelter with silk.

What adaptations do leaf-curling spiders have to help them survive?

Leaf-curling spiders have a very useful shelter-building adaptation. They use silk to lift a leaf into their web, bend it into a tube and hold it in place. This curled leaf helps hide the spider from predators such as birds and parasitic wasps.

Their orb web is another important adaptation. It helps catch flying insects without the spider needing to chase them. The spider can stay hidden inside the leaf while keeping its legs in contact with the web strands.

Leaf-curling spiders are sensitive to vibrations. When an insect becomes trapped, the spider can feel movement through the web and quickly move out to catch its prey.

Young leaf-curling spiders may use small green leaves because they are softer and easier to bend. Older spiders can use larger dry leaves and may sometimes use other light objects as shelters.

Leaf-curling spiders hide with their legs touching the web so they can feel vibrations.

Why are leaf-curling spiders important?

Leaf-curling spiders are part of the bushland food web. They catch insects and help keep small animal populations balanced.

They also provide food for other animals. Birds, parasitic wasps and some other predators may feed on leaf-curling spiders.

Their webs and curled leaf shelters show how important small habitat features can be. Leaves, shrubs, twigs and quiet corners of gardens can provide shelter, hunting spaces and nursery sites for invertebrates.

Curled leaves help protect leaf-curling spiders from predators.

How can you help leaf-curling spiders?

You can help leaf-curling spiders by protecting small habitats. Leave shrubs, native plants and leaf litter where it is safe to do so, especially in garden areas that support insects and spiders.

Avoid unnecessary pesticide use. Sprays can kill spiders directly or reduce the insects they need for food.

If you find a curled leaf hanging in a web, observe it without touching or pulling it open. A spider or egg shelter may be inside. Leaf-curling spiders are shy and are not considered dangerous to people, but they should still be left alone.

Gardens and bushland with shrubs provide web supports and shelter leaves for leaf-curling spiders.

Related fact sheets

More invertebrate fact sheets

• Invertebrate fact sheets – overview of animals without backbones.
• Arachnids fact sheet – explains the features of spiders, mites, ticks and other arachnids.
• Spider fact sheet – learn about spider body parts, silk, webs and life cycles.
• Garden orb weaving spider fact sheet – compare another orb-weaving spider that builds circular webs.
• Golden orb weaving spider fact sheet – compare a larger orb-weaving spider with strong golden silk.
• St Andrew’s Cross spider fact sheet – compare another orb-weaving spider found in low vegetation.
• Black house spider fact sheet – compare a different web-building spider with a silk retreat.
• Net-casting spider fact sheet – compare a spider that uses silk in a different hunting strategy.

Habitats and ecosystems

• Shrub habitats fact sheet – shrubs provide web supports, leaves and insect prey.
• Tree habitats fact sheet – branches and leaves provide web-building spaces.
• Leaf litter habitats fact sheet – fallen leaves provide shelter materials and support invertebrate prey.
• Field of Mars Reserve fact sheet – local bushland context for native spiders and their habitats.

Food webs and ecological relationships

• Fly fact sheet – flies are common prey for many web-building spiders.
• Moth fact sheet – moths are flying insects that may be caught in spider webs.
• Insects fact sheet – explains the insect groups that support many spider food webs.

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