Wood Louse Spider

The Woodlouse Spider has fearsome-looking jaws for piercing shells of woodlice but its bite is unlikely to harm a human. Sometimes called the Woodlouse-hunting Spider, it is native to Europe but now prevalent across Eurasia, North and South Africa, Australasia and parts of North and South America.

It has six eyes. Females reach some 15mm long and males some 10mm.

It is nocturnal and hunts mainly woodlice (but will eat other small insects). Centre above shows the spiders taking a defensive position protecting head area with their legs when they think they are under threat (we needed to remove them temporarily while digging).

The juvenile is a brighter red.

With centipede (and spider mite).