Feather-legged lace weaver
Know more?
Hackled orbweavers don’t have poison glands!
The web of the Feather-legged lace weaver doesn’t use glue to catch prey (contrary to the Garden cross spider, for example). The spiders comes the silk with its hindlegs, causing it to curl up very finely (cribellate silk). This acts like Velcro and makes sure that prey get stuck in the web!
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.
