Ostearius melanopygius
This is a very small spider. The male has a 2 mm body length and is smaller than the female which has a 3 mm body length. The uniformly orange-red abdomen is most distinctive, whilst the head is darker almost back. There is also a blackish patch at the rear of the abdomen which is probably best seen from beneath. There are no other spiders with a similar appearance.
O. melanopygius occurs in a very wide range of habitats, particularly rubbish heaps and gardens, under stones etc and occasionally occurring indoors.
All year but mainly found from spring through to autumn.
Distribution: The species is widespread but patchy in much of England, and very scattered elsewhere in Britain.
Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.
898 British records to Jan 2013
Graham Calow
Sapcote
02 January 2013
adult female
Graham Calow
Sapcote
02 January 2013
adult female seen from beneath
Leicestershire & Rutland Map
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Species profile
- Species group:
- Spiders
- Kingdom:
- Animalia
- Order:
- Araneae
- Family:
- Linyphiidae
- Records on NatureSpot:
- 3
- First record:
- 12/01/1994 (Jon Daws)
- Last record:
- 02/01/2013 (Calow, Graham)
Total records by month
% of records within its species group
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