Geographical Distribution of Pholcus Phalangioides

[wilippa]

A little while ago I read something in a (admittedly not very detailed) insect book which suggested that Pholcus spiders were common in the south of UK but not the north. Living in Oxford, I have many of them in the house and outbuildings so accepted that this may well be accurate - whilst also being aware that the insect book was not particularly detailed or spider-specific.

However, two things have caused me to doubt the veracity of the statement. My parents have two houses. One is in the Midlands, Staffordshire in fact, and I observed a Pholcus above their front door on a visit not long ago. The other house is in Dumfries and Galloway and whilst visiting last week, I observed a good-sized Pholcus specimen in the kitchen.

Since the assertion that they are a southern species was made to me by a colleague yesterday, i'm now throroughly confused!

Anyone have any thoughts? I did wonder whether I had perhaps introduced the individuals to both locations myself on clothing or luggage but I'm not certain. The D&G specimen seemed well established and I have not been to that house for over a year!

[sebastianbawn]

they do appear to be more common in the South, but are present further north see the distribution map here

The Checklist of British Spiders - British Arachnological Society

[wilippa]

Thank you - that clears that up. Although it's interesting that that site refers to them by the common name "Cobweb spider" a name I have only previously come across in relation to Tegenaria sp.

[sebastianbawn]

Common names aren't always reliable. Pholcus phalangioides for example has been labelled as the Cobweb Spider, Dady-Long-Legs Spider, Skull Spider......

That's the reason the binominal (Latin) name is so important

[nikolai_avenger]

This species is definitely established, even common, here in the Trent Valley (Derbyshire/Leicestershire border)

Cheers. Nik.

[wilippa]

Originally Posted by sebastianbawn

Common names aren't always reliable. Pholcus phalangioides for example has been labelled as the Cobweb Spider, Dady-Long-Legs Spider, Skull Spider......

That's the reason the binominal (Latin) name is so important

I've also heard it called the "Cellar spider" - another name which could refer to more than one species. I tend to stick to the Latin myself!

[No.9 Spider]

Probably one of the most synanthropic species in the UK, I reckon and one that has rapidly moved northwards in the last few decades. Cellar spider is the more usual common name in my experience.

[wilippa]

"Synanthropic" ? Can I have a definition please?

PS - never mind I've just Dictionary.com searched it.

[MattPrince]

Synanthropic indeed, and a sneaky hitch hiker. I spotted a large specimen in the car whilst we were driving to Dorset today - thankfully we hadn't gone to dip red-tailed robin in Suffolk, so it only got to move a county.. but potentially it could have been transported the length and breadth of the country.

Cheers,
Matt