1. Long-jawed spider
Tagalog name: Gagambang pangahan
Identifying marks
- long-bodied spider with long legs.
- commonly seen lying outstretched along a rice leaf.
- builds its webs in grassy or bushy areas near water
- egg masses are laid on the upper half of the rice plant and are enclosed in a cottony silk.
Food: Adults and nymphs of planthoppers, leafhoppers, and adults of whorl maggots
One spider kills 2-3 preys every day.
2. Orb spider
Tagalog name: gagambang pari;gagambang gumagawa ng bilog na sapot
Identifying marks
- highly colorful
- legs are curved, the abdomen is large and swollen
- hangs head down from the center of the web; relies on its webs to catch its prey
Food: Planthoppers, leafhoppers, caseworms, whorl maggots, stemborer adults, large butterflies, and grasshoppers
To capture prey, this spider builds strong, sticky, highly specialized vertical orb webs. This web structure makes it more efficient in trapping their preys.
3. Dwarf spider/Space-web spider
Identifying marks
- 1.5-2.3 mm in length and is often confused as a spiderling
- abdomen is oval or globular with a double row of oval to triangular dark spots running lengthwise
Food: Planthoppers and leafhopper nymphs, whorl maggots, and springtails. It eats 4-5 nymphs a day
