About Cyclosa conica (Pallas, 1772)
Cyclosa conica (Pallas, 1772) is a small, unnamed orb-weaver spider. It is easily identified by how it strings together dead insect bodies and other debris to hang near the center of its web. The spider hides along this debris string, and its natural body coloration makes it extremely hard to spot until it moves. Blending in with this debris is one of its defenses against predators; it also feigns death when disturbed. These spiders are small: females range in size from 5.3 mm to 7.5 mm, while males range from 3.6 mm to 4 mm. The webs of this species have a characteristic vertical stripe running down their center. This stripe, called a stabilimentum, is made of dead prey and other debris, and acts as the spider's hiding place. The material of the stabilimentum may also work as a decoy, tricking predators into attacking the debris instead of the spider and giving it time to escape.
