Sunday 16 November 2014

Philodromus cespitum

  Philodromus cespitum
  Family : Philodromidae
  Genus : Philodromus 
  Known as the Turf running spider. 

    Female Philodromus cespitum
    Bevendean Down, Brighton, East Sussex
    21.06.14
    I found this spider on gorse at Bevendean Down, Brighton, East Sussex. It
    appears to have a hitcher - a young Velvet mite. The mite feeds on the spider,
    but does not harm it, as it will eventually drop off when approaching
    adulthood.
    "This is almost certainly the form which has an overall pale top surface to the 
    abdomen. Philodromus cespitum and others in the aureolus group are very 
    variable, and can't generally be identified from photos, and lots of 
    arachnologists have trouble even under a microscope, but this is the one 
    variety which is pretty certain". 
    Peter Harvey - British Arachnological Society





 

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