Summary details for Pardosa monticola (Clerck, 1757)

Distribution

The species is widespread but locally distributed as far north as central Scotland. It is widespread in western and central Europe.

Habitat and ecology

Pardosa monticola usually occurs in open short vegetation in grasslands, meadows, open heaths and dunes, especially where the habitat is old and unimproved. It may be abundant on chalk grassland and stabilised dunes. In Wiltshire, it is almost exclusively found on the short turf of chalk downland (Askins 1997). Adults occur mainly from early to mid-summer, females later.

Status

The spider is usually numerous where present, but local or rare in much of the modern agricultural countryside. Crocker & Daws (1996), Wright (1997) and Harvey (1997) note its rarity in Leicestershire (a single site), Warwickshire (two sites) and Essex (a few localities) respectively. Original author of profile: P.R. Harvey Text derived from 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.