Sheetweb Spiders

More Spider Resourcdes Types of Spiders

Sheetweb and dwarf spiders (Linyphiidae) are a very large and often overlooked family of common spiders. In terms of sheer number of species, most experts place the family at, or close to the top of the spider list.

The small size of most species, including the dwarf spiders, means that they they can only be seen with an optical aid. Literally thousands can cover an acre of land at any one time.

The larger sheetweb species, such as the Neriene radiata (Filmy Dome Spider) in the picture, build larger flat or messy dome shaped webs along low growing bushes. They tend to walk upside down inside or under the web, making for difficult photographic opportunities.

Most of the pictures would look like the bottom picture, which shows the underside of a mating pair. The yellow along the bottom of the abdomen is a good field identification clue.

© 2008-2009. Patricia A. Michaels