Summary details for Drassodes cupreus (Blackwall, 1834)

Status: Fairly common. For years, in Britain, D. cupreus was regarded as a subspecies of D. lapidosus. This was possibly due to the fact that both have very similar genitalia and, to a large extent in England, Wales and Scotland, their ranges overlap. In the field, the typically copper coloured coat of D. cupreus is often a guide to its identity. Distribution: The species is widespread throughout much of Britain. It is widespread in north-western and central Europe. Habitat and ecology: D. cupreus is frequently found under scattered stones, discarded rubbish and grassy tussocks, particularly on heaths and old grasslands, and may be beaten out of gorse and heather. Certainly in the south of England D. cupreus is not uncommon on heaths where D. lapidosus appears to be absent. Curiously, both species may be equally common on calcareous grassland. It is not unusual to find a mature male together with a penultimate instar female in the same silken cell, which can surprise and even cause a collector to miss both. Adults of both sexes are found mainly early to mid-summer, females through the summer, sometimes persisting later. Author of profile: J.A. Murphy Text based on Harvey, P.R., Nellist, D.R. & Telfer, M.G. (eds) 2002. Provisional atlas of British spiders (Arachnida, Araneae), Volumes 1 & 2. Huntingdon: Biological Records Centre.