About Leucauge festiva (Blackwall, 1866)
Leucauge festiva (Blackwall, 1866) is a medium-sized spider species. It has an elongate abdomen marked with a bright, mask-like pattern, and a blunt posterior end. The female epigyne features a scape, and male chelicerae have tubercles. This species has a widespread distribution across Africa, including Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya, Tanzania, Equatorial Africa, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, and Madagascar. In South Africa, it occurs in every province. Leucauge festiva builds orb-webs, which are sometimes located near water or in shaded damp areas. The species is active during the day, resting hanging head-down in its web. It has been recorded from Fynbos, Forest, Indian Ocean Coastal Belt, Grassland, Nama Karoo, and Savanna biomes, at altitudes between 15 and 1,999 m. It has also been sampled from avocado and macadamia orchards, as well as pumpkin and tomato fields.
