Oecobius navus
Blackwall, 1859
wall spider, baseboard spider, stucco spider
A small cribellate spider, 2–2.5 mm in body length, native to Europe and Northern Africa but introduced globally. Builds flat, circular webs with lateral openings on artificial structures. Uses an unusual hunting method: running around prey to entangle it in sticky silk ribbons from the anal tubule and before biting.
Pronunciation
How to pronounce Oecobius navus: /ˌiː.kəˈbaɪ.əs ˈneɪ.vəs/
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Identification
Distinguished from similar Oecobiidae by its small size (2–2.5 mm), pale brown almost circular with a central dark patch and thin black marginal line, and yellowish-brown with black spots over white flecking. reduced to flat, irregular silver patches; other six eyes grouped in two clusters of three. Posterior long with a tubule between them. Legs short, pale brown, varying from unmarked to distinctly dark-annulated.
Images
Habitat
Primarily associated with human-modified environments and artificial structures. Builds webs under rocks, on ceilings, and along wall corners with protruding signaling threads. Prefers sheltered microhabitats with high humidity, low air temperature, and protection from direct sunlight and rainfall. Shows substrate preference for wood and pitted limestone walls.
Distribution
Native to Europe and Northern Africa. Introduced to South Africa, China, Korea, Japan, New Zealand, the Americas, and Australia (including Western Australia).
Diet
Feeds on small arthropods. The red meat Iridomyrmex chasei has been documented as a common prey item in Australian .
Life Cycle
Female produces multiple small sacs, each containing 3–10 eggs, which she abandons. Juveniles are more abundant than in field .
Behavior
Constructs flat, circular webs approximately 3 cm in diameter with lateral openings. Hunts by circling prey and coating it with sticky silk ribbons from the anal tubule and before delivering a bite. Male constructs a tubular mating web above the female's retreat and attempts to lure her inside for copulation. Female may cannibalize the male during or after mating.
Ecological Role
of small arthropods in urban and artificial environments.
Human Relevance
Commonly found in and around human dwellings, earning referencing walls, baseboards, and stucco. Its presence in buildings is generally benign.
Similar Taxa
- Oecobius annulipesA distinct restricted to Algeria; the name has been misapplied to O. navus, causing confusion.
Misconceptions
The name 'Oecobius annulipes' is sometimes incorrectly used for this ; true O. annulipes is Algerian .