For Anyone Interested in the Wildlife of the U.K.
Stone Spiders
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Scientific name: Drassodes lapidosus
Size: Head and body 10mm - 18mm long
Distribution: Found throughout the UK
Months seen: All year round
Habitat: In leaf litter, under logs and under stones (hence the name)
Food: Flies and other small insects
Special features: Stone Spiders are so called because they're nearly always found under stones. The body varies in colour from pale brown to grey. The four long tubular spinnerets at the rear of the abdomen are a distinguishing feature.
There is a similar species which goes by the Latin name of Drassodes cupreus (shown above). The two species can be distinguished by examination with a powerful lens. As a general rule if you find this type of spider in a house or shed it's most likely to be Drassodes lapidosus.
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