In my many years living in the same house in metro Melb and don't think I have never seen this one. Looks like a daddy long legs on steroids in brown velour. Quite impressive size: about 2cm body length. Can anyone identify this one? :?
Yeah i get the exact some spiders around here all the time, one usually hangs out on the hose reel. seems to be a different form than those queensland ones though,
p.s i really hope this symonds catch is out.
It is a net-caster, Dinopis, also known as ogre-faced spiders. For those who haven't seen the footage of netcasting, several of Densey Clines old docos had some excellent footage of it, and I think Attenborough's "Life in the Undergrowth" had some footage too (but don't quote me on that).
the st andrews cross spider has more colour to it, like a yellow and black they are also "bumpy" as opposed to the smooth body of this spider... I thought thats what they were many years ago... but yeah i think these guys are right in saying a net casting spider.