Orb-weaver Spider

Description:

This spotting is a return visit to the spider shown in https://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/87...... The reason for this is that the spider was adopting some strange postures when I took the photos for the previous spotting. I thought that this might indicate an imminent moult or oviposition. So, I went back to check. There is not much that I can report yet, but the spider has moved up the stem of the plant (just a few inches) and looks like it might be creating some kind of shelter by curling the edges of a leaf. If that assumtion is correct, then it could indeed be about to lay eggs. The abdomen does look rather rotund, but this species always seems to look like that. I will perhaps have to visit again to find out if there is really something going on or perhaps I am just on a wild goose chase.

Habitat:

Spotted in the farm on Tropical Whiteweed (Ageratum conyzoides Linn.) known in the Philippines by various names in many dialects. In our local dialect, this plant is called Salunay. Plant information - http://stuartxchange.com/Bulak.html

Notes:

I should have mentioned in the previous spotting and almost forgot again on this one. This spider, as everyone knows, is an Orb-weaver, but there is no sign of a web anywhere nearby. This must surely have some significance. I am slightly disadvantaged because I have not been able to find any relevant scientific informantion on this species, but there is nothing better than going out and seeing it with your own eyes.