Philodromus dispar

Philodromus dispar is a type of crab spider and is about 5 mm long. The male is black or dark brown with white edges, the female more beige in colour.

Whilst the male is distinctive, the female can look very similar to P. cespitum.

Mature males are distinctive but confirmation of females: "Requires examination at high magnification in good lighting, typically examination of the genitalia." Bee, L., Oxford, G., & Smith, H. (2020). Britain's Spiders: A Field Guide. Second Edition. Princeton University Press.

Various habitats in search of prey, but often near to houses.

Best time to see this spider is from spring through to autumn.

An agile hunter of small flies and other insects, it does not build a web. The females lay their eggs in a cocoon attached to leaves. They guard the eggs until autumn when the young spiders hatch. The spider overwinters in the bark of dead trees.

Fairly frequent and widespread in England and Wales.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.

2953 British records to Jan 2013