Enoplognatha ovata
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| Enoplognatha ovata | ||||||||||||||||
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 female
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| Enoplognatha ovata Clerck, 1757 |
Enoplognatha ovata is a species of spider belonging to the family Theridiidae. It is native to Europe and has also been introduced to North America.
This spider, reaching a length of 6 mm (excluding legs), has translucent legs and the globular abdomen is extremely variable in colour and pattern: the background colour is white, cream or green and can be marked with a row of dark spots, a broad red stripe or with two red stripes in a v-shape. Despite its small size, this is a formidable predator which can prey on insects many times its size. The female deposits its eggs in a grey sac. This is secreted within a rolled-up leaf fastened with silk and the female guards it until the eggs hatch.
[edit] References
Preston-Mafham, Ken (1998). Spiders: Compact Study Guide and Identifier. Angus Books. ISBN 978-1-904594-93-2.
