BugWise

Web spinners are also known as Embiids or Foot spinners

What do web-spinners look like?

An example of a web spinner. Photo: M Bulbert © Australian Museum.

Web-spinner. Illustration: A Howells © Australian Museum.

Size:

4 mm - 15 mm in length.

Body:

Long and column-like.

Appears hard.

Antennae:

Bead-like.

Never longer than body.

Eyes:

Usually small, well separated, and often kidney-shaped.

Mouthparts:

For chewing or munching.

Held forwards at rest.

Wings:

Two pairs (males only) if present.

Both pairs membranous, similar in size and spatula shaped.

Both pairs have few wing veins but the wing maybe pigmented giving it the appearance that it has veins.

At rest the wings are held flat to body, overlap and do not extend to tip of abdomen.

Limbs:

Six legs

Bottom segment of front tarsi (toes) greatly enlarged and bulbous. This segment contains numerous glands for silk production.

Abdomen tip:

Two short cerci (tails) with two segments.

In males right cerci differs in size and shape to the left.

Where are web-spinners found?

• They are confined to silken nests, which have many tunnels.
• The nests are spun on bark surfaces, and rocks or among crevices and leaf litter.
• Due to their secretive nature they are rarely seen.

What do web-spinners do?

• They form large colonies sharing living quarters much like humans share an apartment block.
• When disturbed, they run backward into silken tunnels. Their wings can flex over their head to allow backward movement into the tunnels.
• They are weak fliers that flutter; insect blood (hemolymph) is pumped into the upper veins to stiffen the wings during flight. Males tend to only fly when in search of a reproductive mate.
• They primarily feed on dead and decaying plant material but are known to feed on living lichen and moss.
• They are active during the night and are attracted to light.

What looks similar?

• Nothing due to their unique anatomical features and lifestyle.