Liocranid sac spider
Liocranum rupicola
- Agraecina
- Agroeca
- Apostenus
- Liocranum
- Scotina
The field spiders ( Liocranidae ) are a family of spiders from the order of spiders. Worldwide 160 species in 29 genera are expected to field spiders. In Central Europe, 15 species occur in seven genera. The field spiders were previously provided to the blind spiders ( Clubionidae ), but have been split off as a separate family.
Appearance and Body
Field spiders have a wolf spider-like physique. The basic color of most species is light brown to dark brown. The front body ( prosoma ) is usually not very hairy and slightly drawn. The rear body ( opisthosoma ) usually shows more or less pronounced cross- patch and a thin spit spot. The legs are usually uniformly brown, sometimes with a weak girdling.
Way of life
Field spiders are mostly nocturnal. On the day they hide under stones and usually are relatively difficult to detect. Thus, most design is carried out by means of pitfall traps or indirectly through cocoon finds.
All field spiders are ground dwellers. They hunt their prey on the ground and do not build networks. The silk glands are mainly used to build their cocoons.
Some species of the genus Agroeca build a quite eye-catching cocoon. It has in the case of Feenlämpchenspinne ( Agroeca brunnea ) has the shape of an inverted wine glass. The cocoon is attached to a blade of grass and then usually camouflaged with earth.
Selected species in Central Europe
- Feenlämpchenspinne ( Agroeca brunnea ) ( Blackwall, 1833)
- Agroeca proxima (O. P. - Cambridge, 1871)
- Liocranum rupicola ( Walckenaer, 1830)