Two Tailed Spider (Hersiliidae)

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Also known as "Long Spinnered Spider". Although this specimen was found on a window sill after a wind storm the species is normally found on the bark of Eucalypts where their camouflage makes them almost impossible to see.

This spider had a leg spread of about the size of a fifty cent piece and like all it's kind moved in fast bursts when disturbed.

They are said to capture their prey by anchoring them to the bark with very fast spinneret movements. The spiders are found across Gondwanaland in Africa, Asia and Australasia.

I apologise for the quality of the images. This is the only time the spider has surfaced on the property although it is certainly one of the common residents. The presence is established by egg sacs and guide threads on the bark of the trees. I suspect this one is a male. He is visible because he is on a painted surface. The last photo clearly shows the flattened nature of his body