Larinioides cornutus

Description

Females reach a body length of about 13 mm, males up to 8 mm. A variable species with a dark, distinct V-shape on the abdomen above which there a two pincer like markings. Prosoma (cephalothorax) brown (c.f. Larinioides sclopetarius - prosoma grey). 

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Confirmation of this species: "Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of the genitalia." Bee, L., Oxford, G., & Smith, H. (2020). Britain's Spiders: A Field Guide. Second Edition. Princeton University Press.

Habitat

These spiders are most often found in damper areas, especially near to water.

When to see it

Spring to autumn.

Life History

The web is built between grasses, or in low shrubbery. They hide during the day in a silken retreat that opens at the bottom, masked with plant and animal matter and leave it during the night. The web is remade in the evening. The male lives with the female during mating time, which is in autumn and again in spring. The female produces three to five yellow egg sacs during the summer.

UK Status

Widespread and common throughout Britain.

VC55 Status

Common in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Further Information

7,479 British records to 2015.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2020+ | 2015-2019 | pre-2015

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
Spiders
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Araneae
Family:
Araneidae
Records on NatureSpot:
109
First record:
30/06/1996 (Jon Daws)
Last record:
11/08/2023 (Edwards, Jo)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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