Buggin with Bridgey
Buggin with Bridgey is a report of sightings from the Let’s Go Buggin Cairns Nature & Photography Tour in the Cairns Botanic Gardens. As the months roll by, subtle changes in the seasons bring sightings of new creatures and this report aims to give people a wrap up of the current animals seen as well as provide an ongoing citizen science account of our wonderful critters that can be seen in the Wet Tropics of Queensland.
Jumping Spiders in the Cairns Botanic Gardens
and the Wet Tropics of Queensland.
Part 2
Portia Fringed Jumping Spider (Portia fimbriata)
Meet the smartest Spider in the world! With her shaggy legs, slow deliberate moves, and excellent camouflage, Portia fimbriata is one of the most peculiar, and brilliant spiders you’ll come meet. They doesn’t just hunt prey, she outsmarts them. Known for sneaking into other spiders’ webs and pulling off ambushes with strategic precision, this spooky little mastermind can be found in the Cairns Botanic Gardens, and when she is, it’s a serious treat for any keen-eyed macro explorer.
Portia Fringed Jumping Spider (Portia fimbriata)
Simaethula & Simaetha
These two genera are like the chunky cousins in the Jumping Spider family album. With broad builds, short legs, and those classic Salticid eyes, they’ve got that “built-for-hugging” look — even if they’re not too fond of company. You’ll usually spot them near the forest floor or under shaded foliage. They’re slower movers but will turn their heads to keep you in their sights — which makes for wonderfully expressive portraits in the Cairns Botanic Gardens.
Beetle-mimic Jumping Spider (Simaethula sp.)
Ant-mimic Jumping Spiders (Myrmarachne)
Myrmarachne are a Genus of ant-mimic Jumping Spiders. Their physical form have adapted to resemble the ant species they are predating. They can also mimic behaviour using the front set of legs to look like the ants antenna. If you’ve been reading my blogs, I have a whole series about mimicry here. It’s an absolutely fascinating subject to delve into, and some of the mimicry that can be found in the Cairns Botanical Gardens in the Wet Tropics of Queensland is astounding. Below are some examples of some of the Ant Mimic Jumping Spiders I’ve seen.
Two of the Ant-mimic Spiders encountered during Let’s Go Buggin Tours
Common Housfly Catcher Jumping Spider (Plexippus petersi)
This is one of our more urban-dwelling residents — often spotted hanging out on fences, house walls, and even mailboxes around Cairns. But don’t let the name fool you — the Common Housefly Catcher is anything but boring. With bold eyes and a fearless attitude, these spiders practically pose for the camera. They’re a favourite for beginner nature photographers, always offering great views and plenty of front-on opportunities. Like their name suggests, they make great companions in the house, catching those unwanted house flies.
Common Housfly Catcher Jumping Spider (Plexippus petersi)
Wallace’s Euryattus Jumping Spider (Euryattus wallacei)
The species is particularly photogenic with their seemingly larger proportion eyes than most jumping spiders and enlarged blond pedipalps. On the back of the carapace (head) they have a diamond, which is extremely cute. This species will often look directly at the lens, giving you some opportunities to get lovely front on portraits.
Wallace’s Euryattus Jumping Spider (Euryattus wallacei), second shot showing the diamond on the back of head (carapace)
Jumping Spider (Euryattus bleekeri)
Jumping Spider (Euryattus bleekeri) Adult and Juvenile.
I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the examples of the Jumping Spiders in the Cairns Botanical Gardens and the Wet Tropics of Queensland. If you would like to take a deeper dive into some other encounters you can check out my Let’s Go Buggin Project on iNaturalist here.
Keen for a Let’s Go Buggin Tour? Use ‘BRIDGEYBLOG’ as the coupon code for 15% discount on your tour booking here.
Next Blog in late August.
🕷 📸 💚
Bridgette
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