Turf Running Spider
Philodromus cespitum
The adult turf running spider lives in grassy places, shrubs, hedgerows, and garden vegetation across much of Europe. It is an active hunter that sprints over leaves and stems to seize small insects with its fangs rather than trapping them in a web. Its flattened body and sideways-spreading legs give it a crablike stance and help it slip through dense vegetation. Mottled brown, grey, or greenish coloring lets it blend into plant surfaces while waiting or stalking.
- Type
- Swift / Venom
- Conservation status
- NE