Quick Facts

Scientific name:  Pachygnatha clercki

Size:  Males up to 5mm, females up to 6mm

Distribution:  Found throughout the UK

Months seen:  All year round - especially May to October

Habitat:  Mostly found in wetlands, damp meadows, ditches and close to water

Food:  Small invertebrates

Special features:  Thick-jawed Orb Weavers have two broad, dark brown stripes running from front to back along their cream coloured abdomen.  Between these two stripes is a narrower brown stripe with blotchy edges.  The caphalothorax is pale brown with a dark brown pinstripe running centrally front to back.  The chelicerae are dark brown, and the legs are pale brown.  The male is slimmer than the female with bulbous dark brown palps.

Pachygnatha clercki has long, and stocky looking chelicerae (jaws) - hence the common name for this spider.

These spiders are usually found at ground level in the daytime, amongst moss and leaf litter, moving up into taller vegetation at night.

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