Hypsosinga pygmaea

Description

Body length 3 to 4.5 mm. Prosoma black-brown, eye region and margin slightly brighter. Prosoma black-brown. Sternum black (c.f. Hypsosinga sanguinea - sternum yellowish red, sometimes darkened). Legs reddish yellow, unicoloured. Opisthosoma strongly bulged, black-brown with 3 white longitudinal stripes, mainly males (rarely) completely black, ventrally black with 2 bright longitudinal stripes.

Identification difficulty
Recording advice

Photos must exclude other Hypsosinga species, particularly H. sanguinea.

Habitat

This species spins orb webs on low vegetation, often on calcareous grassland but also in damper areas of heathland, acid grassland, and other tussocky and rough grasslands.

When to see it

Adults in summer.

UK Status

The species is widespread in parts of southern Britain, with few widely scattered records in the north. 

VC55 Status

Local in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Leicestershire & Rutland Map

MAP KEY:

Yellow squares = NBN records (all known data)
Coloured circles = NatureSpot records: 2025+ | 2020-2024 | pre-2020

UK Map

Species profile

Species group:
Spiders
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Araneae
Family:
Araneidae
Records on NatureSpot:
9
First record:
26/11/2020 (Cann, Alan)
Last record:
14/08/2025 (Nicholls, David)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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