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

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

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

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

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

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

 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

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

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

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