Common False Widow/Rabbit Hutch Spider Steatoda bipunctata

The Rabbit Hutch Spider owes its name to its habit of hiding in hutches, outhouses and dark corners in fences and the like during the day. It is active mainly at night, building its hanging webs. It is the same genus as the Noble False Widow Spider and is also called the Common False Widow. It gets bad press through that, but it is generally harmless to people (and rabbits).

Head/body length is up to 7mm. It is shiny dark or chestnut brown with white sides reaching in a circle and a couple of white lines of dots in the centre of the back. (It is similar to its relative, Steatoda grossa, which has a different pattern of white on the back.)