Tent Web Spider Cyrtophora citricola

The (Tropical) Tent Web Spider is also called the Dome Web and the Prickly Pear Spider - since it often builds its distinctive tent webs over cactus plants.

The head/body size is about 9-10mm long. It is native to tropical regions of Africa, including the Canary Islands, and to southern Europe, tropical Asia and the Americas.

The female builds a massive, intricately-meshed but irregular-shaped tent of a web over cactuses, trees or among buildings and sits on her egg sac beneath the tent.

The mesh is square and quite strong. The angular female is usually black with white markings but can be brown with white.

A single tent is massive and sometimes several tents are built together housing a colony of females, particularly offspring of an original matriach.

A female may produce several egg sacs, but may not live to see them hatch. The adult male is much smaller and does not eat as an adult. He will usually be eaten during or after mating or will die soon after.