Dictynidae is a family of spiders, grouped by their similar nature of making webs. As far as scientific order is concerned, it belongs to the Araneae, as all spiders do. The species of this family are either small or medium, but not large at all. There are around 48 genera, including around 560 species.
Size: The spiders are 0.05-0.31 in (0.12-0.7 cm).
Color: The shades range from brown to orange and grey to green.
Other Characteristic Features: The number of eyes depends on the species, as the family contains six-eyed, eight-eyed, and even blind species. Some spiders have “cribellum” (web making spinneret) while others do not have that. All the spiders of the family have 3 tarsal claws.
Female spiders of the Dictyna and Nigma genera, build multiple egg sacs. The sacs are similar to the lens in appearance. They are either suspended from the web or stay hidden inside, not attached to the web.
Young spiders hatch and come out of the eggs after a certain period.
These spiders are known for making messy webs made of wooly and bluish silk. Spiders from genera like Altella and Argenna keep their webs low and close to the ground.
It is still not examined whether spiders of this family have venom that is damaging for people or not.
| Other Names | Meshweb Weavers |
| Distribution | Europe, North America, North Africa, and Central Asia |
| Habitat | Moist forests, dry grasslands, cliffs, and caves |
| Web Type | Messy and irregular patterns observed |
| Diet | Possibly insects |
| Lifespan | Not known |
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