This is a photograph of a Christmas spider that I managed to capture down at Louge Brook Dam in Western Australia.
Camera Details:
Camera: Cannon EOS 760D
F/stop: 5.6
Shutter: 200
Focal length: 220mm
ISO: 200
The Christmas spider, or Australian Jewel Spider as it is otherwise known is a small arachnid endemic to Australia. The spider gets it's name from the bright colouration on its back, it is also much more common to see this species in the Summer month's through Australia.
Jewel Spiders are most commonly found throughout the southern regions of Australia, though they have been found all throughout. There are five distinct subspecies within Australia; Austracantha minax astrigera, Austracantha minax minax, Austracantha minax hermitis, Austracantha minax leonhardii and Austracantha minax lugubris.
Although bright and colourful and seeming to give off warning, Jewel Spiders are considered harmless to humans, said to only be mildly painful. Someone that has been bitten can expect some local swelling, itchiness and redness around the bite area, but this is harmless and should be disregarded.
Quite easily startled, the spider would rather flee than fight, to escape they will climb upside down along their support threads to nearby object. If this fails to be fast enough they also commonly drop to the ground. These spiders are associated with the coming of Christmas in Western Australia, earning them their festive name.
More information about the Jewel Spider can be found at the below links.
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Austracantha)
(http://museum.wa.gov.au/community/groups/content/christmas-spider)
(http://esperancewildlife.blogspot.com.au/2010/06/christmas-spider-austracantha-minax.html)
(http://www.findaspider.org.au/find/spiders/126.htm)
