A selection of spiders found in gardens
The British garden can host a hundred or more of different species of spiders. Gardens are ecologically very complex with short mown grass, borders of herbaceous plants, short and tall shrubs, trees, ponds, mossy rocks, walls, fences, compost heaps - the list of habitats is endless, and there is at least one species of spider to suit each.
Some of the commoner species are given here
- Garden Spider Araneus diadematus
- Four-spoted Orbweb Spider Araneus quadratus
- Ground spider Drassodes lapidosus
- Woodlouse spider Dysdera crocata
- Laceweb spiders Amaurobius similis & A. fenestralis
- Money spiders (Family Linyphiidae)
- Wolf spiders (Family Lycosidae)
- Nurseryweb Spider Pisaura mirabilis
- Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus
- Lesser garden spider Metellina segmentata
- Missing sector orbweb spider Zygiella x-notata
- Candy-striped spiders Enoplognatha ovata & E. latimana
- False widow spiders Steatoda species
Spider look-alikes
- Harvestmen (Order Opiliones)
- Velvet Mites (Order Acari)