Tone Killick
Arachtober 5th - Floronia bucculenta
Family: Linyphiidae
♂ 4.5 - 5 mm
♀ 4.5 - 6 mm
This fairly large Linyphiid occurs on bushes and low vegetation in damp places in a variety of habitats, including earthy banks, low vegetation in marshy areas, rough unmanaged grassland with scrub and tall herbaceous vegetation, open woodland with bracken and grass and tall heather, so I was surprised to find this specimen in my garden. She had made her typical sheet web against a fence and pot plant and it took me a while to work out exactly what species she was. These have a special biological trait. The white spots on the spiders abdomen are guanine cells and when the spider is disturbed, she drops from her web and the white spots instantly retract, and the body darkens, making her hard to see in the undergrowth. After several minutes the colour and patterning return. Once I saw it with my own eyes, I was in no doubt as to the species.
Arachtober 5th - Floronia bucculenta
Family: Linyphiidae
♂ 4.5 - 5 mm
♀ 4.5 - 6 mm
This fairly large Linyphiid occurs on bushes and low vegetation in damp places in a variety of habitats, including earthy banks, low vegetation in marshy areas, rough unmanaged grassland with scrub and tall herbaceous vegetation, open woodland with bracken and grass and tall heather, so I was surprised to find this specimen in my garden. She had made her typical sheet web against a fence and pot plant and it took me a while to work out exactly what species she was. These have a special biological trait. The white spots on the spiders abdomen are guanine cells and when the spider is disturbed, she drops from her web and the white spots instantly retract, and the body darkens, making her hard to see in the undergrowth. After several minutes the colour and patterning return. Once I saw it with my own eyes, I was in no doubt as to the species.