Orb-weaver Spider

Description:

Araneae; Araneidae; Neoscona; Neoscona molemensis Tikader & Bal, 1981. My pictures show two separate individual spiders, but they are both Neoscona molemensis. My reason for placing them together in one spotting is that they were on adjacent plants, just about 2 ft. apart. I have never before seen spiders of this species living so close together and had assumed that they were aggressive towards each other. There is no science here and I am probably being influenced by having seen these spiders attack each other and fight until one kills the other. This "fight", however, was not part of their life style, it was orchestrated by children. Young boys, here, collect spiders and keep them in match boxes. When they all meet at a pre-arranged time and place, they set their spiders against each other by placing them at opposite ends of a long thin stick or twig. When the spiders see each other, they advance towards the middle of the stick where they meet and fight. The boys sometimes choose to set spiders of different species against each other and sometimes spiders of the same species. Neoscona spiders are often used for this "sport". I don't like it much, but it is an age old "cultural thing" and I always remind myself that I am a guest in this country. So, speaking out against it would not be appropriate. However, to get back to my pictures, these two neighbours did not appear to be taking any notice of each other and nobody will come into my backyard and scoop them up in match boxes.

Habitat:

Both of these Neoscona molemensis spiders were on their webs, constructed on pot plants in our back yard.