Phalangium opilio

Description

Body length 3.5 to 4 mm. This species has a white underside. Males have a large spur or horn projecting from the anterior surface of the first cheliceral segment; females do not have this feature. Males also tend to have long, thin pedipalps relative to those of other harvestmen and usually are blacker in colouration than the females. Both sexes have two small pointed tubercules above the chelicerae.

Identification difficulty
Habitat

Usually found in well vegetated areas.

When to see it

Most likely to be seen in summer and early autumn.

Life History

Feeds on small soft bodied insects.

UK Status

Widespread and fairly frequent in England, less well recorded elsewhere in Britain.

VC55 Status

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.

Further Information

3191 British records - last record 2014

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:
harvestman (Opiliones)
Kingdom:
Animalia
Order:
Opiliones
Family:
Phalangiidae
Records on NatureSpot:
40
First record:
09/07/2012 (Calow, Graham)
Last record:
11/10/2024 (Dejardin, Andrew)

Total records by month

% of records within its species group

10km squares with records

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