A fascinating story about spiders and where to find them in Singapore was published in the local press today. Due to my recent fascination with spiders, I learned that despite their widespread reputation as hazardous pests, spiders play an essential role in the ecology of our forests. A healthy forest depends on the kinds of spiders that can be found there, according to the article. Click the link below to read the article.
Here are some interesting spiders that I have encountered and photographed.
The Giant Golden Orbweaver (Nephila pilipes) is one of the largest spiders found in South East Asia, including Singapore. This impressive spider spins large orb-shaped webs that can shimmer with a golden hue under the sunlight. The female spider can reach a leg span of nearly 20 centimeters, while males are small and often remain near the female’s web. Giant Golden Orbweavers are commonly found in forests, parks, and gardens, where they build their webs between trees or across open spaces to catch flying insects. Although their large size can appear intimidating, they are generally harmless to humans and play an important role in controlling insect populations.
This spider is likely a garden orb-weaver (family Araneidae), a common web-building spider found in forests, parks, and gardens. It spins the familiar circular orb web used to catch flying insects such as flies and mosquitoes. During the day, the spider often hides among dry leaves or rests at the edge of its web for camouflage, becoming more active at night when it waits in the center of the web for prey. Despite their slightly intimidating appearance, garden orb-weavers are harmless to people and play an important role in controlling insect populations.
The Common Big-Jawed Spider (Tetragnatha mandibulata) is a slender orb-weaver known for its unusually long jaws and twig-like body. Often found near water or tall grasses, it builds delicate circular webs to catch small flying insects. During the day, it cleverly hides along plant stems, stretching its body to look just like a tiny twig.
The Pale Spitting Spider (Scytodes pallida) is a small, pale yellowish spider known for its unique hunting method. Unlike typical web-building spiders, it hunts by spitting a sticky, venomous silk to immobilize its prey. Found in Singapore’s forests, leaf litter, and even quiet corners of buildings, this nocturnal spider is harmless to humans and fascinating for its unusual “glue-gun” style attack.
The Grey Wall Jumping Spider (Menemerus bivittatus) is a small, agile spider commonly found on walls and tree trunks in Singapore. Covered in pale gray with dark stripes, it hunts during the day by stalking and leaping on insects rather than building webs. Harmless to humans, this active little predator is known for its curious, watchful gaze and bold movements.
Adanson’s House Jumper (Hasarius adansoni) is a small jumping spider in the family Salticidae that’s cosmopolitan (found in warm regions around the world and commonly associated with people and buildings). It’s one of the more frequently seen jumping spiders near human habitats because it thrives on walls, window sills, and around structures. It doesn’t build capture webs. Instead, it stalks and leaps on insects using its great eyesight and precise jumps to catch flies, mosquitoes, and other small arthropods.
Updated on 8 April 2025