Bark sac spider, Clubiona corticalis

Body size

Female to 10 mm; male to 10 mm.

Appearance

Carapace glossy brown with dark jaws. Abdomen with a dark central mark becoming a pattern of chevrons towards the rear. The two sexes are similar (photo).

Habitat, range and season

Old trees and buildings. Occasionally found in houses walking across the walls. Europe and much of Asia. Adults occur from April to September.

Web

None.

First recorded in the UK

1841.

Bite reports

'Immediate pain to finger, followed by blisters on arm.'

UK spider bites

Cartoon image of footprints disappearing through closing door

The Museum's smallest members of staff are our flesh-eating beetles, Dermestes maculates, who strip carcasses to the bone.