Species

Here you can find the main species we are observing in the SpiderSpotter App.

For each species, you can find a detailed description, size and habitat information and notes on similar species. An image gallery for each species can help with the spider identification. Let's spot some spiders!

Barn Funnel weaver (Tegenaria domestica)

Web: Typical funnel web with a funnel-shaped retreat.

Habitat: In and around buildings. Often outdoors, away from buildings, such as in hollowed out trees and caves.

How to recognize:

  • typical light drawing on the abdomen and dark coloured drawing on cephalothorax
  • often with a faded appearance and an vague drawing
  • legs vaguely annulated and proportionally shorter compared to the Giant house and Cardinal spider.

Looks similar to:

  • Cannot really be confused with other house spiders when accurately comparing the back drawing. Also a lot smaller.

Size

♀: 7,5-11,5mm

♂: 6-9mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: probably the entire year, but with peak in the second half.

Cardinal spider (Tegenaria parietina)

Web: Typical funnel web with a funnel-shaped retreat, often more “layered” than the web of the Cardinal spider and Barn funnel weaver.

Habitat: In and around buildings, sometimes in drier, less sheltered and sunny locations. Almost always close to buildings.

How to recognize:

  • typical light drawing on top of the abdomen (two light oval spots stand out) and a dark coloured drawing on cephalothorax (with three dark spots on the sides)
  • legs darkly annulated (less obvious in older spiders and often almost completely lost in adult males.

Looks similar to:

  • Charcoal spider (Tegenaria ferruginea). This species has a more delineated drawing (also on the legs), is much smaller and has proportionally shorter legs. The Charcoal spider is more often found in forests and less in houses.

Size

♀: 11-20mm

♂: 10-17mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: August till October

Cellar spiders (Pisauridae)

 

Cellar spider (Pholcus phalangoides)

Web: an open, messy, 3D web.  

Habitat: almost always in or close to buildings. Often in the corner of the ceiling in cellars or bathrooms, but also in the garage, the garden shed,…

How to recognize:

  • spider with elongated abdomen and very long, thin legs
  • abdomen with beige or grey colour

Looks similar to:

  • because of the long legs, cellar spiders can be confused with harvestmen (daddy longlegs). However, harvestmen are not spiders, the big difference lies in the body. In harvestmen the body consists of one piece, in spiders you can clearly recognize two sections: cephalothorax and abdomen.

Size

♀: 8-10 mm

♂: 7-10 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: throughout the year

Common crab spider (Xysticus cristatus)

Web: Crab spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their elongated first and second legs to overpower their prey. They are sit and wait predators, often well camouflaged and laying in an ambush to surprise passing prey.

Habitat: in many different environments such as grassland, on bushes and other low vegetation, rather in open habitats.

How to recognize:

  • light to dark brown colour
  • cephalothorax with clear dark triangle
  • abdomen with a lighter pattern (in the shape of a pine tree)

Looks similar to:

  • several other Xysticus species. Only close study with a stereomicroscope will allow for a certain identification.

Size

♀: 9-11 mm

♂: 3-4 mm

When?

♀: April till August

♂: April till August

Common fox spider (Alopecosa pulverulenta)

Web: wolf spiders don’t make a catching web, but are active hunters that use their legs and jaws to immobilize prey.

Habitat: Occurs in open habitas such as gardens, grassland clearings in woodland,… . Can be frequent.

How to recognize:

  • cephalothorax (dark)brown, with a lighter midstripe
  • abdomen yellowish red to olive green, with clearly marked cardiac mark.
  • legs yellow/red, darkly annulated
  • ♂: darker colour, strong contrast between light midstripe and darker areas of the cephalothorax .

Looks similar to:

  • several other wolf spiders. Investigating the reproductive structures using a stereomicroscope gives a definitive identification.

Size

♀: 5-8 mm

♂: 6,5-11 mm

When?

♀: April till July

♂: April till July

Common stretch spider (Tetragnatha extensa)

Web: orb web with open centre (no threads).

Habitat: tall grasses (such as reeds) and low vegetation close to water. op hoge grassen (bijv. riet) en lage vegetatie in de buurt van water. More strongly bound to water than the Silver stretch spider.

How to recognize:

  • elongated body with long legs
  • ♂: extended jaws (chelicerae)
  • cephalothorax and legs brown
  • abdomen yellow to green, with a silver shine and a dark branched figure. Underside with a broad, black stripe.

Looks similar to :

  • Silver stretch spider. The underside of the cephalothorax (sternum) of the Common stretch spider has a clear, light spot in the middle. The sternum of the Silver stretch spider has a uniform colour.

Size

♀: 10-12 mm

♂: 6-9 mm

When?

♀: May till July

♂: May till July

Copper sun jumper (Heliophanus cupreus)

Web: Jumping spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their large and well developed eyes to spot their prey from far away, sneak closer and pounce it using their short and powerful legs.

Habitat: on low to medium high vegetation or on the ground. Often on sunny places such as forest edges, but also in gardens. 

How to recognize:

  • small, compact spider
  • ♀: black spider with greenish to copper metallic sheen
  • ♀: abdomen with in front a light coloured band
  • ♀: light yellow palps and light brown legs, finely annulated
  • ♂: completely black with metallic sheen

Looks similar to:

  • other Heliophanus species. The lighter spots are often very variable, making them an unreliable characteristic.

Size

♀: 4-6 mm

♂: 3,5-4mm

When?

♀: May till July

♂: May till July

 

Latin name: Araneus diadematus

German name: Gartenkreuzspinne

Web: Large orb web

Habitat: Web is constructed in shrubs, tall grasses, lower part of trees. Often found in the garden and sometimes on windows, fences, etc.

How to recognize:

  • typical light cross figure on the (often disappears towards the end of life)
  • different colors: from light brown / yellowish to dark (red) brown
  • large spider that can often be found in the middle of the web during the day, however, some spiders seem to prefer night time to be in the web.

Looks similar to:

  • The cross on the abdomen is a very accurate and typical feature.

Size:

♀: 10-18mm

♂: 4-8mm

When?

♀: June till October

♂: June till September

Know more?

One of our most successful spiders because it can live in variety of habitats and catches prey in a particularly efficient way (can easily overpower wasps).

After hatching, young spiders stay together for a while. This is the time when you can spot the typical ball of spiders. When disturbed, the sphere seems to explode and the young spiders flee in all directions.

Eurasian green crab spider (Diaea dorsata)
German name: Grüne Krabbenspinne

Web: Crab spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their elongated first and second legs to overpower their prey. They are sit and wait predators, often well camouflaged and laying in an ambush to surprise passing prey.

Habitat: on leaves of bushes and trees.

How to recognize:

  • lightly coloured abdomen with clearly delineated dark figure in the shape of a leaf. Lighter spots in leaf figure (sometimes absent)
  • ♀: cephalothorax and legs light green
  • ♂: cephalothorax yellow to green, first two leg pairs with dark bands.

Looks similar to:

  • Triangle crab spider, but the dark drawing on the back of the abdomen has a different shape (often an incomplete triangle).

Size

♀: 5-7 mm

♂: 3-4 mm

When?

♀: May till June

♂: May till June

European sheetweb spider (Linyphia triangularis)

Web: Sheetweb with ascending threads above the sheet and stabilizing threads underneath.

Habitat: not selective at all. Can be found in many different habitats, as long as there is a possibility to construct a web. Usually in vegetation, such as higher grass, herbs and shrubs. Usually between 30 cm from the ground, ranging up to 2 m. 

How to recognize:

  • dark midstripe in the shape of a tuning fork on the cephalothorax
  • typical dark drawing on the abdomen (fades with age as the rest of the abdomen gets darker).
  • adult male has large, diverging jaws
  • one of our largest sheetweb spiders

Looks similar to:

  • ao. Linyphia tenuipalpis and Pityohypanthes phrygianus (both much more rare)

Size

♀: 5-7mm

♂: 4,6-7mm

When?

♀: From middle of August till end of October, sometimes until December. Lives longer than male

♂: From middle of August till end of October

False black widow (Steatoda grossa)

Web: 3D web with messy threads and often vertical threads with glue on the lower part towards the substrate (“gum footed threads”).

Habitat: Mainly in dark places in buildings (preference for cellars, where webs are constructed close to the cellar window), but also outdoors near solid structures. The spider usually hides in crevices.

Hot to recognize:

  • often (but not always) with lighter triangles on the backside of the abdomen
  • larger than the other Steatoda species
  • male is considerably smaller than female.

Looks similar to:

  • is often mistakenly regarded as a Black widow, but lacks the red hourglass-shaped figure on the underside of the abdomen and is usually also much smaller
  • is distinguishable from the Triangulate combfoot by having non touching lighter triangles on the abdomen.

Size

♀: 6,5-10mm

♂: 4-6mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: August till September

Hackled orbweavers (Uloboridae)

Feather-legged lace weaver (Uloborus plumipes)

Web: horizontal (!) orbweb of 15 to 30 cm.

Habitat: The Feather-legged lace weaver is originally a tropical species that was imported in Belgium through the Mediterranean. It is almost exclusively found in heated spaces such as greenhouses. In garden centres you can spot the typical webs, hung between cacti and succulents. This species has only once been found outdoors in Belgium.

How to recognize:

  • abdomen densely covered with hairs and two obvious humps
  • colour varies from beige to almost black
  • front legs with striking hair bristles.

Looks similar to:

The very noticeable abdomen, together with the specific occurrence in heated spaces means that this species is easily recognized. 

Size

♀: 4-5 mm

♂: 3-4 mm

When?

Can be found throughout the year.

Fencepost jumping spider (Marpissa muscosa)

Web: Jumping spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their large and well developed eyes to spot their prey from far away, sneak closer and pounce it with their short and strong legs. The Fencepost jumping spider sometimes catches prey that are much bigger than itself, including other spiders.

Habitat: on logs, but also on fences, gates, garden sheds and walls. Often on sunny or partially shaded places.

How to recognize:

  • largest native jumping spider
  • oblong body
  • short, sturdy legs, front legs thickened
  • colour grey brown to dark brown
  • abdomen with light and dark symmetrical spots
  • the female has an orange stripe (hairs) underneath the frontal eyes.

Looks similar to:

  • Upon close inspection, this species is hard to confuse with any other jumping spider.

Size

♀: 8-11 mm

♂: 6-8 mm

When?

♀: April till September

♂: April till September

Fleecy jumping spider (Pseudeuophrys lanigera)

Web: Jumping spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their large and well developed eyes to spot their prey from far away, sneak closer and pounce it with their short and strong legs.

Habitat: almost exclusively on buildings: on walls, roofs, fences, is frequently found inside.

How to recognize:

  • short, compact spider
  • cephalothorax black, with characteristic triangle of white hairs
  • abdomen dark with lighter mid band.

Looks similar to:

  • Hypositticus pubescens and both are often found in the same habitat. The Fleecy jumping spider has on the cephalothorax a light triangle while Hypositticus pubescens has spots.

Size

♀: 4-6 mm

♂: 4-5 mm

When?

♀: indoor: throughout the year, outdoor: peak May till July

♂: indoor: throughout the year, outdoor: peak May till July

 

Latin name: Araneus quadratus

German name: Vierfleckkreuzspinne

Web: Large orb web

Habitat: Makes a web quite low to the ground (under 50 cm) between grasses and herbs, often in more humid places.

How to recognize:

  • typical drawing with four white spots on the back of the abdomen
  • different colours: ranging from light yellow - green - orange - red-brown
  • large spider, sometimes during the day in web, but usually in retreat on the edge of the web

Looks similar to:

  • Can be confused with the Marbled Orbweaver, but the two front light spots of that species are usually larger than the back two. With the Four-spot orbweaver, it is the other way around, with the two fronts spots being almost always larger.

Size:

♀: 9-20 mm

♂: 6-8 mm

When?

♀: July till October

♂: June till September

 

Giant housespider (Eratigena atrica)

Web: Typical funnel web with a funnel-shaped retreat.

Habitat: In and around buildings, with a preference for sheltered, not too dry places. Often outdoors, far away from buildings, i.e. in hollow trees or on rocks.  

How to recognize:

  • typical light drawing on the abdomen and dark coloured drawing on cephalothorax
  • often a more dark appearance compared to the other two house spider species
  • legs never darkly annulated

Looks similar to:

  • Blackwalls house spider, from which the Giant house spider cannot be distinguished based on general appearance. Only through examining the reproductive structures is it possible to decisively identify species but this examination is not easy.

Size

♀: 11-18mm

♂: 10-15mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: August till October

Goldenrod spider (Misumena vatia)

Web: Crab spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their elongated first and second legs to overpower their prey. They are sit and wait predators, often well camouflaged and laying in an ambush to surprise passing prey.

Habitat: in sunny environments such as grassland, forest edges, but also gardens. Is very often found on flowers.

How to recognize?

  • ♀: colour variable: white to yellow to greenish, sometimes with red stripes
  • ♂: cephalothorax brown to black
  • ♂: abdomen white with two dark length stripes.

Looks similar to:

  • This species is hard to confuse with any other species when observed in detail.

Size

♀: 9-11 mm

♂: 3-4 mm

When?

♀: May till August

♂: May till August

Ground wolf spider (Trochosa terricola)

Web: Wolf spiders don’t make a catching web, but are active hunters that use their legs and jaws to immobilize prey. The Ground wolf spider hunts predominantly during the night.

Habitat: underneath rocks, litter, moss, in humid areas. 

How to recognize:

  • big, robust wolf spider
  • cephalothorax with typical light midband, with two dark stripes in the widened part
  • abdomen with cardiac mark that ususally doesn’t clearly stand out against the rest of the abdomen.

Looks similar to:

  • the three other Trochosa species in Belgium. The differences in the markings of the cardiac mark are not a reliable determination characteristic. Investigating the reproductive structures using a stereomicroscope gives a definitive identification.

Size

♀: 7-14 mm

♂: 7-9 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: throughout the year

Herb hammock spider (Neriene clathrata)

Web: Relatively thin sheetweb.

Habitat: Many different habitats, such as roadsides, brushwood, parcs and gardens. Most often low to the ground. Adult males can often be found in litter. 

How to recognize:

  • ♀: typical dark drawing on back of abdomen with W-shaped figures. Sides are lob shaped.
  • ♂: back drawing is almost not recognisable in adult males, however, two white spots on the front stand out.

Looks similar to:

  • adult males are easily confused with other related species of which males have two white spots (Microlinyphia pusilla and the Herb hammock spider (Neriene clathrata) on the front of the abdomen. However, the abdomen of the Herb hammock spider has a much more oval shape.
  • sometimes the legs of the Herb hammock spider are also annulated, in which case it can be confused with the Spring hammock spider.

Size

♀: 3,7-5,5 mm

♂: 3,4-4,8 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: March till June

Hypositticus pubescens

Web: Jumping spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their large and well developed eyes to spot their prey from far away, sneak closer and pounce it with their short and powerful legs.

Habitat: often near buildings: on walls, roofs, fences, but also on rocks and logs.

How to recognize:

  • small, compact spider
  • colour grey brown to dark brown
  • cephalothorax: mostly one conspicuous spot between the hind eyes.

Looks similar to:

  • the Fleecy jumping spider and are often found in the same habitat. The Fleecy jumping spider has a light triangle on the cephalothorax while Hypositticus pubescens has spots.

Size

♀: 4-6 mm

♂: 4-5 mm

When?

♀: May till August

♂: May till August

Lesser garden spider (Metellina segmentata)

Web: small orb web that is suspended under an angle in grasses, herbs and low bushes.

Habitat: on vegetation in a lot of different habitats such as roadside, grassland, gardens, woodland. Often in large numbers.

How to recognize:

  • cephalothorax with dark, Y-shaped figure
  • abdomen white to yellow to reddish, with vague leaf figure.

Looks similar to:

  • Can only be reliably distinguished from Metellina mengei based on the reproductive organs.

Size

♀: 6,5-9 mm

♂: 7-7,5 mm

When?

♀: August till October, but in mild winters, sometimes till early spring

♂: August till October

 Linyphia hortensis

Web: Sheetweb with ascending threads above the sheet and stabilizing threads underneath. Hangmatweb (thinner and smaller compared tot he European sheetweb spider)

Habitat: Parcs and gardens, often in higher grass, herbs and shrubs. Usually between 30 cm from ground level, ranging up to 2 m. 

How to recognize:

  • glossy abdomen with white edges and dark underside
  • ♀: typical dark drawing on back of the abdomen (not always clearly present)
  • ♂: Drawing on the back is often almost invisible in adult males en reduced to two white spots on the front of the abdomen.

Looks similar to:

  • especially adult males are easily confused with other related species of which males have two white spots (Microlinyphia pusilla and the Herb hammock spider (Neriene clathrata) on the front of the abdomen.

Size

♀: 4-6mm

♂: 3-5mm

When?

♀: May till July

♂: April till June

Cellar spiders (Pholcidae)

Marbled cellar spider (Holocnemus pluchei)

Web: an open, messy, 3D web, often with a dome like structure.

Habitat: almost always in (non)heated industrial buildings such as warehouses, hangars or garden centres. Often in corners.

How to recognize:

  • spider with elongated abdomen and long, thin legs
  • abdomen with light brown/grey colour and a clear, white, marbled drawing.

Looks similar to:

  • can be confused with the Long-bodied cellar spider. However, the Marbled cellar spider has a clear, black band on the underside of the abdomen. The abdomen als has much more explicit drawing.

Size

♀: 5-7,5 mm

♂: 5-7 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: throughout the year

Nursery web spiders (Pisauridae)

 

Nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis)

Web: the Nursery web spider doesn’t make a catching web, but is an active hunter, by using fangs and legs to immobilize prey.  

Habitat: often in open habitats with rather high vegetation such as roadsides, grasslands, forest edges. Also in the garden on taller grass.

How to recognize:

  • big spider with oblong body
  • colour yellow brown to grey brown
  • abdomen with variable colour. Often with a light midstripe with dark, undulating bands.
  • cephalothorax with a thin, light midstripe, ending in a small tuft of hair.

Looks similar to:

  • the Nursery web spider has a very characteristic appearance and is easily recognized

Size

♀: 11-15 mm

♂: 10-13 mm

When?

♀: May till August

♂: May till July

Ozyptila praticola

Web: Crab spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their elongated first and second legs to overpower their prey. They are sit and wait predators, often well camouflaged and laying in an ambush to surprise passing prey.

Habitat: on the ground, in leaf litter or sometimes on low vegetation in gardens, parcs, forest,…

How to recognize:

  • dark brown colour
  • cephalothorax with clear black drawing with lighter mid band
  • abdomen with vague drawing, often with two clearly noticeable dark stripes, going from the middle to the sides.
  • legs dark annulated

Looks similar to:

  • several other Ozyptila species, only detailed study of the reproductive structures with a stereomicroscope will allow for a certain identification.

Size

♀: 3-5 mm

♂: 2,5-3 mm

When?

♀: April till September

♂: April till September

Pirate otter spider (Pirata piraticus)

Web: wolf spiders don’t make a catching web, but are active hunters that use their legs and jaws to immobilize prey.

Habitat: occur in water-rich habitats such as around stagnant water (ponds, small lakes) and slow-running water (streams,… ) or at least in a moist environment (eg wet meadows).

How to recognize:

  • cephalothorax usually with a white border
  • abdomen with a white line (sometimes interrupted) along the cardiac mark.
  • legs light to dark green.

Looks similar to:

  • other Pirata species. The white markings (line) along the cardiac mark are reasonably reliable, but can sometimes be missing. That is why investigating the reproductive structures using a stereomicroscope gives a definitive identification.

Size

♀: 4,5-9 mm

♂: 4-6,5 mm

When?

♀: May till August/September

♂: May till August/September

Platform hammock spider (Neriene peltata)

Web: Relatively thin sheetweb.

Habitat: Parcs and gardens, mainly in bushes.

How to recognize:

  • typical dark drawing on backside of abdomen
  • cephalothorax often with clearly visible dark triangle (point of the triangle is oriented towards the back).

Looks similar to:

  • the Filmy dome spider (Neriene radiata), but the cephalothorax of this species is differently coloured (lacks the triangle and with a lighter edge).

Size

♀: 3-5mm

♂: 2,2-3,5mm

When?

♀: May till July

♂: April till June

Rabbit hutch spider (Steatoda bipunctata)

Web: 3D web with messy threads and often vertical threads with glue on the lower part towards the substrate (“gum footed threads”). The web sometimes has a matlike appearance.

Habitat: Mostly close to or in buildings, but also regularly outdoor in hollow trees, away from buildings. The spider often hides in a crevice.

Herkennen aan:

  • glossy, coffeebean like appearance, especially when the spider feigns death after being disturbed and retracts its legs
  • often with light stripe over the middle of the abdomen
  • male with strikingly large pedipalps

Looks similar to:

  • upon close inspection not really to be confused with any other species.

Size

♀: 4,5-7mm

♂: 4-5,5mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: April till November

Silver stretch spider (Tetragnatha montana)

Web: orb web with open centre (no threads).

Habitat: occurs frequently on shaded banks, but also in bushes of gardens and parcs. Less bound to water compared to the Common stretch spider.

How to recognize:

  • • elongated body with long legs
  • • ♂: extended jaws (chelicerae)
  • • cephalothorax and legs brown (legs often with dark spots)
  • • abdomen yellowish, with a dark grey to greenish branched figure with a golden appearance.

Looks similar to:

  • • the Common stretch spider (Tetragnatha extensa). The underside of the cephalothorax (sternum) of a Silver stretch spider has a uniform colour. The Common stretch spider has a clear, light spot in the middle.

Size

♀: 7-13 mm

♂: 6-8 mm

When?

♀: May till July

♂: May till July

Latin name: Zygiella x-notata

German name: Sektorspinne

Web: small to medium orb web with catching threads missing in one or two sectors (looks open). A signal thread runs from the centre through this sector to signal the spider when prey is stuck. If you follow this, you will find the spider!

Habitat: almost always associated with buildings: in the corner of window frames, balconies, gates, fences, under the gutter, ... Can occur in high numbers.

How to recognize:

  • abdomen with silver-colored leaf figure
  • head with rather triangular, dark figure
  • darkly annulated legs

Looks similar to:

  • Zygiella atrica: this species is usually more orange, but females can only be identified with certainty using a stereo microscope. Males from Zygiella atrica have noticeably longer palps.
  • Zygiella montana: this species only occurs in the higher parts of Belgium.

Body size

♀: 7-11 mm

♂: 4-7 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: throughout the year

Cobweb spiders (Theridiidae)

 

Southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans)

Web: fairly large, 3D web with messy threads and often vertical threads with glue on the lower part towards the substrate (“gum footed threads”).

Habitat: The Southern black widow has not yet established permanent populations in Belgium. Observations are always the result of unintended hitchhiking from the original range (southern part of USA and Mexico). A lot of Southern black widow spiders are introduced by shipments of second-hand cars from USA in the Antwerp harbour.  

How to recognize:

  • shiny, black spider with round abdomen
  • upper side of the abdomen always completely black
  • under side of the abdomen: clear red hourglass drawing.

Looks similar to:

  • False black widow spider: the clear, red hourglass marking is a sure identification characteristic of the Southern black widow which is lacking in the False black widow spider. The Southern black widow is also much larger than the false black widow spider.
  • Other black widow species: often only distinguished by careful study of reproductive structures under a stereomicroscope.

Size

♀: 15 mm

♂: 6 mm

Zoropsid spiders (Zoropsidae)

 

Spiny false wolf spider (Zoropsis spinimana)

Web: The Spiny false wolf spiders doesn’t make a web, but is an active and visual hunter.  

Habitat: Mainly in and around houses. In Southern-Europe underneath stones, bark. Hunts at night.

How to recognize:

  • large spider
  • yellow brown to grey brown colour
  • abdomen with black cardiac mark that looks constricted
  • cephalothorax with complex and light markings
  • annulated legs

Looks similar to:

  • looks at first sight like a large wolf spider. However, large wolf spiders will almost never be found in or near houses..

Size

♀: 10-19 mm

♂: 10-13 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: throughout the year

Spitting spiders (Scytodidae)

 

Spitting spider (Scytodes thoracica)

Web: the Spitting spider doesn’t make a catching web, but stalks its prey (flies, mosquitoes) on walls and spits a mixture of sticky silk and poison in a zigzag pattern over the prey. The threadlike adhesive shrinks, pinning the prey to the surface.   

Habitat: almost exclusively indoors. In summer sometimes on the outside of houses and one very strange find of a Spitting spider underneath a tussock in a field during winter (!).

How to recognize:

  • typical colour pattern of dark stripes and dots on an orange/light brown/grey or beige background colour.
  • cephalothorax is often as big as the abdomen and has a characteristic shape with a flattened front.

Looks similar to:

  • the Spitting spider has a very characteristic appearance and is almost impossible to confuse with other species.

Size

♀: 4-6 mm

♂: 3-5 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: throughout the year

Spotted wolf spider (Pardosa amentata)

Web: wolf spiders don’t make a catching web, but are active hunters that use their legs and jaws to immobilize prey. The Spotted wolf spider hunts predominantly during the day.

Habitat: occurs in open habitat such as parcs, gardens, fields,… Mostly in rather humid conditions. Can be very frequent.

How to recognize:

  • cephalothorax (dark)brown, with a lighter midstripe that is often “chalice-shaped” in front
  • abdomen dark with an unclear drawing, but often two dark spots stand out
  • legs yellow/dark annulated
  • ♂: darker colour, with palps almost black.

Looks similar to:

  • several other Pardosa species. That is why investigating the reproductive structures using a stereomicroscope gives a definitive identification.

Size

♀: 5,5-8 mm

♂: 5-6,5 mm

When?

♀: April till July

♂: April till July

Spring hammock spider (Neriene montana)

Web: Often fairly large and robust sheet web. Most related species can be found hanging underneath the sheet part of the web, however, the Spring hammock spider can most often be found in a retreat (crevice, behind bark,…). The silk is more dens, closer to the retreat. 

Habitat: Shaded areas, often against “dense” structures (hollow log, pile of branches, wall), less in “green” vegetation.

How to recognize:

  • clearly annulated legs
  • typical dark drawing on back of abdomen
  • bigger than the other Neriene species.

Looks similar to:

  • upon close inspection not really to be confused with other species.

Size

♀: 5-8mm

♂: 4-7mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: April till June

Triangulate combfoot (Steatoda triangulosa)

Web: 3D web with messy threads and often vertical threads with glue on the lower part towards the substrate (“gum footed threads”). The web sometimes has a matlike appearance.  

Habitat: Mainly in dark places in buildings, contrary to the False black widow also in dry places such as attics. Or in living rooms on the underside of furniture, where you can often find egg sacs.  Regularly also outdoors near solid structures. The spider usually hides in crevices.

How to recognize:

  • lighter triangles almost always present on the backside of the abdomen.
  • legs often ligther coloured and more or less clearly annulated.

Looks similar to:

  • the False black widow spider, but the lighter triangles on the abdomen of the Triangulate combfoot (Steatoda triangulosa) are touching.

Size

♀: 3,5-7mm

♂: 3,5-5mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: June till October

Latin name: Nuctenea umbratica

German name: Spaltenkreuzspinne

Web: large orb web (up to 70 cm) with a large mesh size and not finely finished.

Habitat: hidden during the day under the bark of trees, between cracks and crevices in walls, fences, ... At night, you can find the spider in the middle of the web.

How to recognize:

  • highly flattened shape
  • dark brown to black colour, female with very striking light spots on the underside of the abdomen.
  • clear "pits" on the back of the abdomen (muscle attachment points)

Looks similar to:

  • a dark Grey Cross spider, but this species usually has a clear light mark on the back of the abdomen. The Grey Cross spider almost always lives in the immediate vicinity of water.

Body size:

♀: 11-15 mm

♂: 8-9 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year

♂: May to September

Latin name: Argiope bruennichi
German name: Wespenspinne

Web: Large orb web, often with threads in zigzag pattern (stabilimentum) originating from the centre going up and down.

Habitat: Often in grassland, with the web constructed low. Main diet are grasshoppers! 

How to recognize:

  • white-yellow-black bands on the abdomen (hence the name), males have a more brown colour and are much smaller.
  • big spider, often in the web during the day
  • threads in zigzag pattern (stabilimentum) in web
  • typical lightbrown to brown egg sac, with vertical black stripes.

Looks similar to:

  • because of the unique colouration, this species is hard to confuse with other spiders.

Size:

♀: 11-20 mm

♂: 4-4,5 mm

When?

♀: July till September/October

♂: June till August

Cell spiders (Dysderidae)

 

Woodlouse spider (Dysdera crocata)

Web: the Woodlouse spider doesn’t make a catching web, but actively hunts its prey.

Habitat: Is found in a humid environment such as underneath stones, flower pots, bark, dead wood. In gardens and in parcs, but also in forests. Sometimes also indoors in humid cellars.

How to recognize:

  • big spider with large protruding fangs
  • easily recognizable by the strikingly red/orange coloured body
  • abdomen yellowish or grey

Looks similar to:

  • lesser woodlouse spider (Dysdera erythrina): only through detailed study using a stereomicroscope can the two species accurately be identified. On the other hand, he Lesser woodlouse spider is much more rare, is almost never found in or close by houses and is generally smaller and lighter of colour. Size and colour are, however, not reliable characteristics as a young Woodlouse spider also exhibits these.

Size

♀: 11-15 mm

♂: 9-10 mm

When?

♀: throughout the year, but with a peak from May till July

♂: throughout the year, but with a peak from May till July

Eutichurid spiders (Cheiracanthiidae)

 

Yellow sac spider/Spiny false wolf spider (Cheiracanthium mildei)

Web: The Yellow sac spider doesn’t construct a web, but catches its prey through active, visual hunting.

Habitat: The Yellow sac spider can be found in a sac-like retreat in a curled up leaf or underneath stones and bark. In Belgium especially close to or in buildings (but recently also in a nature reserve, far removed from buildings.

How to recognize:

  • medium size spider with large jaws
  • abdomen yellow to olive green, with clear cardiac mark. Cephalothorax often more dark coloured, sometimes red
  • yellow legs, with frontpair being the longest.

Looks similar to:

Cheiracanthium virescens: this species lives mainly in heathland and will almost never occur near or in houses. Certain identification only through using a stereomicroscope.

Size:

♀: 6-11 mm

♂: 6-9 mm

When?

♀: May till December

♂: May till December

Zebra jumping spider (Salticus scenicus)

Web: Jumping spiders don’t make catching webs, but use their large and well developed eyes to spot their prey from far away, sneak closer and pounce it with their short and strong legs.

Habitat: is very often found on walls and fences, sometimes in houses close to a window. Also on stones, rocks and logs. 

How to recognize:

  • very recognizable by the black and white pattern
  • small, compact spider
  • ♂: male with enlarged, black jaws

Looks similar to:

  • In Belgium, there are three more Salticus species with a similar drawing.

Size

♀: 5-7 mm

♂: 5-7mm

When?

♀: May till July

♂: May till June