Wall-dwelling
Guides
Leiobunum
harvestmen, daddy long-legs
Leiobunum is a genus of harvestmen (order Opiliones, family Sclerosomatidae) comprising over 100 described species. Members are characterized by exceptionally long legs relative to body size, with the second pair serving as sensory appendages rather than locomotory structures. The genus exhibits pronounced gregarious behavior, with many species forming dense aggregations on vertical surfaces. Leiobunum species are found across North America, Europe, and Asia, with some populations demonstrating rapid invasive spread in Europe.
Menemerus semilimbatus
Half-edged Wall Jumping Spider
Menemerus semilimbatus is a medium-sized jumping spider in the family Salticidae, commonly known as the Half-edged Wall Jumping Spider. It is characterized by its dorso-ventrally flattened body, grayish-white coloration with distinctive V-shaped markings on the abdomen, and preference for vertical surfaces. The species is native to the Mediterranean region but has been introduced to parts of the Americas including Argentina, Chile, and the United States.
Oecobius annulipes
Ringed Wall Spider
Oecobius annulipes is a small wall-dwelling spider in the family Oecobiidae, native to Northern Africa and introduced to Brazil, St. Helena, and Pacific Islands. This species has been studied extensively for its photoperiod-sensitive life cycle and web-building behavior. Adults are active primarily from April to early September, with complex overwintering strategies that vary based on photoperiod conditions. The species constructs characteristic flat, tangled webs on walls and structures, and has been observed capturing prey through specialized web-use behavior.
Oecobius navus
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 spinnerets before biting.
Philodromus oneida
Oneida Running Crab Spider
Philodromus oneida is a species of running crab spider in the family Philodromidae, first described by Levi in 1951. It is distributed across the United States and Canada, with records from Alberta, British Columbia, and Manitoba in Canada. As a member of the genus Philodromus, it shares the characteristic laterigrade leg orientation that allows sideways movement, typical of running crab spiders.
Selenops
Flatties, Crescent-eyed Spiders, Wall Crab Spiders
Selenops is a genus of spiders in the family Selenopidae, commonly known as "flatties" due to their extremely flattened bodies. The genus comprises approximately 132 species distributed across arid and semi-arid regions worldwide, including the southwestern United States, Florida, the Caribbean, and tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and the Americas. These spiders are notable for being the first documented arachnids capable of controlled gliding when falling, using their flattened bodies and laterigrade legs to steer toward tree trunks rather than falling to the ground. They exhibit some of the fastest turning movements recorded in terrestrial legged animals when attacking prey from behind.