Eresus walckenaeri is a spider endemic to the eastern Mediterranean. Due to the male’s appearance, it is often called a ‘ladybird spider’ – a name shared with several other species in its genus.
Size: Male: 0.6-0.9 cm, Female: 4 cm
Color: Male: The males have an appearance similar to that of a ladybug, with a red body and four black spots on the abdomen. Female: They are velvet black or purple, with a red band seen on the abdomens of particular specimens.
Other Characteristic Features: Their legs and abdomen have bristles all over them.
Females lay around 100 eggs in a sac made of webbing.
Juveniles disperse via ballooning much more than other members of their genus.
These spiders produce strikingly pink-colored webs.
Little is known about this spider’s venom, with bites rarely occurring. Even if they do, their venom is not fatal to humans.
| Lifespan | 4-5 years |
| Distribution | Eastern Mediterranean, including the southern Balkans, Turkey, southern Italy, and some islands in the Aegean sea |
| Habitat | Dry, sandy soil |
| Diet | Insects |
Image Source:
Eresus walckenaeri is a spider endemic to the eastern Mediterranean. Due to the male’s appearance, it is often called a ‘ladybird spider’ – a name shared with several other species in its genus.
Size: Male: 0.6-0.9 cm, Female: 4 cm
Color: Male: The males have an appearance similar to that of a ladybug, with a red body and four black spots on the abdomen. Female: They are velvet black or purple, with a red band seen on the abdomens of particular specimens.
Other Characteristic Features: Their legs and abdomen have bristles all over them.
Females lay around 100 eggs in a sac made of webbing.
Juveniles disperse via ballooning much more than other members of their genus.
These spiders produce strikingly pink-colored webs.
Little is known about this spider’s venom, with bites rarely occurring. Even if they do, their venom is not fatal to humans.
| Lifespan | 4-5 years |
| Distribution | Eastern Mediterranean, including the southern Balkans, Turkey, southern Italy, and some islands in the Aegean sea |
| Habitat | Dry, sandy soil |
| Diet | Insects |
Image Source:
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