I found this Epeus spider in my garden. That day I was testing my Olympus OMD EM1 Mark II fitted with Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 60mm f/2.8 Macro Lens. For illumination, I used Olympus TF-22 Twin Flash Head. They are very active spiders occurring usually on bushy hedges, shrubs and on tall trees.
Four species of Epeus are described from India. The Cephalothorax in overall light green colouration. Ocular quadrangle conspicuous, covered with white and brown flat setae. Along the lateral margins of the ocular quadrangle and around eyes, bright orange setae present abundantly.
Eyes are arranged both in male and female, are in four rows. Male is comparatively smaller, otherwise similar to female in appearance except with more prominent bands on legs. Abdomen Dorsal sides of the abdomen dull black in colour with two longitudinal rows of prominent white spots. Legs long and slender, banded in appearance.
Epeus Spider is medium to large sized salticids. It has a swollen, round, elevated head, slender, pointed abdomen usually pale green in colour. The front row of eyes highly recurved to appear as arranged in four rows.
They are very active spiders occurring usually on bushy hedges, shrubs and on tall trees. The nest is made up of a thin, nice sheet of silk fastened by a few parallel threads longer than the silk sheet itself to the lower side of leaves. Small, spherical, light green eggs can be seen through the silk sheet. The mother guards the eggs and the young sitting within the retreat.