Spitting Spiders - Scytodes thoracica

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Spitting Spiders

Latin name: Scytodes thoracica

Size: Approximately 3 to 6mm

Distribution: Found mainly in southern England up to the Midlands.

Months seen: March to November

Habitat: Mainly found in houses

Food: Small invertebrates

Special features: Spitting spiders are a pale brown colour and covered with small chocolate brown spots. The front half of the spider is dome shaped to house its enlarged venom glands. It has three pairs of eyes. The males and females look very similar.

Spitting spiders are so called because they have the ability to shoot a jet of venom and silk from their fangs to restrain and paralyse their prey.

The spray can reach a distance of over 10mm. The attack lasts just a fraction of a second, and leaves the victim glued to the floor as the spider moves in for its meal.

Related Pages:

UK Safari Spider Section

UK Safari News