There is no doubt that the Mile End Jumping Spider is spreading and as of 2020 this species had been recorded at 15 sites around London, and one on the South Coast. Macaroeris nidicolens have been found on Pine Trees, Gorse, Privet and Hawthorn at other locations in the SE. By 2019 it had been recorded at various sites in the SE of England including one record from Greenwich and a couple from Dartford. Macaroeris nidicolens was then recorded in Essex at Thurrock in 2006. Another common name for this species is the Pine Jumping Spider, due to its apparent preference for Pine Trees. This Mediterranean Jumping Spider is fairly new to the UK and was only first recorded back in 2002 at Mile End Park, Tower Hamlets in East London, hence the common name of Mile End Jumping Spider They are also occasionally referred to as the Tower Hamlets Jumping Spider. Mile End Jumping Spider / Pine Jumping Spider ( Macaroeris nidicolens ) LINKħmm female Macaroeris nidicolens found in my garden 19th April 2019 It is currently accepted by most experts to be classed as Attulus pubescens. This species has been the subject of some debate over the years as to which genus it belongs on. The capability of making a surprise jumping attack from a distance gives the Jumping Spider a great advantage over this known spider-hunter. But the Downy Jumper has been observed and photographed killing and feeding on Cellar Spiders. Inside of houses it is usually the Cellar Spider / Daddy-Long-Legs Spider ( Pholcus phalangioides) that is the top of its food-chain feeding on other insects as well as other spiders. In areas away from humans this species can on occasion be found on tree trunks and rocks. Adult females can be found throughout the year but adult males are found from March to October. They have an average body-length of 4-6mm. It has been observed that, as with other species of Marpissa spider, the Fencepost Spider demonstrates a social hierarchy with weaker animals acknowledging their inferiority to larger specimens by strutting their front legs and slowly retreating from the scene.Īdult female 5mm Downy Jumper ( Attulus pubescens )ĭowny Jumper ( Sitticus / Sittipub / Hypositticus / Attulus pubescens )Īnother widespread and common jumping spider found across England, usually in residential areas around human habitation. These 'nests' can often be found in groups with many specimens choosing to build their hideaway next to another specimen. This species often builds a silky retreat behind loose bark on very old or dead trees. Their typical habitat includes fallen branches, under loose bark of old trees, stone walls, rocks, logs and as their name suggests wooden fenceposts and fences. This species is fairly easy to distinguish from other Jumping Spiders in the UK by their size and their long, slender and flat abdomens. They are most frequently encountered in the SE of England.

Fencepost Jumping Spiders are found across much of Europe but have a scattered distribution in the UK. At some sites it's not unusual for specimens to exceed these sizes and females have even been recorded at 13mm! The specimen photographed above was well outside of the usual range for a male at 11mm. Males usually grow to 6-8mm and females 8-10mm. The Fencepost Jumping Spider is a nationally scarce species and is one of Britain's largest Jumping Spiders. Salticus scenicus is by far the most commonly encountered species of the three and can be found in varies habitats across the UK. They are reported to jump up to 10cm, but I have observed one jumping almost twice that distance in a downward direction landing directly on a fly which was killed instantly with an immediate bite. There are three Salticus species, known as Zebra Jumping Spiders, in the UK, and all are variable in appearance, especially Salticus scenicus, which can be highly variable, so it's very difficult to be sure of the exact species without microscopic examination. Instead they jump onto their prey with great accuracy and quickly inflict a lethal venomous bite to their unsuspecting victims. They are often seen sunning themselves on walls, rocks, tree-trunks or fences. They can also been found on heathland and farmland sites too. The Zebra Jumping Spider is a common jumping spider found across the UK, often in urban and suburban areas. Zebra Jumping Spider ( Salticus scenicus) Female Zebra Jumping Spider ( Salticus cf scenicus)

Zebra spider dangerous