Woodlouse Spider

jacobsmomma · #1 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 01:23 PM

Hi all, just wondering if anyone had the species of the above (Dysdera crocata) living locally to them. I'm in the Midlands and in nearly my 30 years of life have never seen one in the flesh. I think they are amzing looking spiders, are they rare or just not in the Midlands area? Or aren't I looking hard enough

Meta menardi · #2 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 01:44 PM

They are quite a common spider, and distributed pretty well everywhere. They are found out at night, and spend the day hidden. I suspect that if you have a good look at night in woodlousy sorts of places, you will find them. They are an amazing sight, and I think the fact that they don't get reported more often shows just how much they do operate "under cover".

aeshna5 · #3 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 04:24 PM

I see them quite often around London- especially during gardening activities such as compost work when this species is accidentally disturbed or in cellars, etc- anywhere really which is good for woodlice.

Susie · #4 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 05:09 PM

Once I had a caterpillar on a hollyhock that I looked at every day. It got fatter and fatter until one day it was gone and a very green looking woodlouse spider sat there in its place!

Here it is:

That was back in London but I do see the occasional one around the house and garden here in West Sussex.

Wild-Woman · #5 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 05:16 PM

I quite often find these under flower pots with a pile of woodlouse husks.

Meta menardi · #6 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Susie

Once I had a caterpillar on a hollyhock that I looked at every day. It got fatter and fatter until one day it was gone and a very green looking woodlouse spider sat there in its place!

Here it is:

That was back in London but I do see the occasional one around the house and garden here in West Sussex.

What you have got there is Scotophaeus blackwalli, a different spider.

Susie · #7 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 05:30 PM

Is it? Thanks, Meta!

I shall sack the person who identified it for me.

Wild-Woman · #8 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 05:34 PM

This is one I took a fair while back. I think it looks like a peanut.

nightshade · #9 (**permalink**) 15-02-2009, 05:34 PM

I do not like woodlice very much so much so that I keep an eye on "my" spiders, there are around half a dozen that I know of in the garden.
they seem to like stones that have concrete on the bottom that are fairly dry
and near Woodlice