Feather-legged Lace Weaver, Garden Uloborid
Uloborus plumipes
Uloboridae (Hackled Orb-Weavers), Order Araneae
Physical Description
A small spider with a distinctive humped abdomen and uniquely tufted legs. The cephalothorax is relatively flat, while the abdomen is high and often exhibits two prominent tubercles or 'shoulders'. Their most striking feature is the thick, hair-like brushes on the tibiae of the first pair of legs.
Size Estimate
Body length is typically 4-6mm for females and 3-4mm for males; leg span reaches up to 15-20mm.
Coloration & Markings
Variable coloration ranging from beige and grey to dark brown or mottled black and white. The abdomen often features intricate marbling and a darker pattern on the raised humps. The legs are typically banded with light and dark brown.
Web Type
Horizontal or angled orb web made of 'cribellate' or hackled silk. Unlike standard orb-weavers, their silk is not sticky; it relies on a fuzzy, velcro-like texture to snag prey. Webs are often low to the ground in vegetation or greenhouse corners.
Eye Arrangement
Eight small eyes arranged in two rows. The eyes are not a primary identification feature due to their tiny size, but they lack the large reflectors found in hunting spiders.
Leg Characteristics
The first pair of legs is significantly longer and sturdier than the others, featuring thick, dark brushes of hair (feathers) on the tibia. These legs are often held straight forward when the spider is at rest in the center of the web.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Non-existent. This is one of the few spider families in the world that lacks venom glands and a venom delivery system entirely.
Medical Significance
Zero danger to humans. They cannot bite effectively and have no venom to inject. They are considered entirely harmless.
Safety Recommendations
No precautions are necessary. They are beneficial to have in the home or garden. If relocation is desired, they can be easily moved using a soft brush and a container.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Originally from warmer climates in Africa and the Mediterranean, they have become widespread globally. Often found in gardens, shrubbery, and famously in greenhouses or garden centers in temperate regions like the UK and Northern Europe.
Behavior & Temperament
Extremely sedentary and non-aggressive. They rely on camouflage, often resembling a piece of dried leaf or bird dropping in their web. They are unique among spiders because they possess no venom glands.
Diet & Prey
Small flying insects such as gnats, fruit flies, and small moths. Because they lack venom, they wrap their prey extensively in a massive amount of silk—sometimes up to dozens of meters—to crush and immobilize it before feeding.
Seasonal Activity
In the wild, they are active from late spring through autumn. In heated greenhouses or homes, they remain active and reproductive throughout the entire year.
Description
The Feather-legged Lace Weaver is an architectural marvel of the spider world. Easily overlooked due to its small size and expert camouflage, it is best identified by the fuzzy 'leg warmers' on its front limbs. It sits motionless in a horizontal web of specialized, non-sticky silk, waiting for vibrations that signal a meal. Instead of a quick bite, it performs a high-speed wrapping maneuver that is a masterclass in silk utilization.
Key Features
Humped abdomen with two tubercles, prominent brushes of hair on the first pair of legs, and a horizontal orb web made of fuzzy/wool-like silk.
Similar Species
Uloborus walckenaerius (larger, more elongated), and various Tetragnathidae (Long-jawed orb-weavers), though the 'feathered' legs are a unique diagnostic for the Uloborus genus in many regions.
Life Cycle
Females produce a papery, star-shaped or flattened egg sac which they often guard in or near the web. Spiderlings disperse via ballooning. In indoor/greenhouse environments, they can breed year-round.
Ecological Importance
Highly beneficial in greenhouses and homes as they provide excellent natural pest control for fungus gnats, whiteflies, and other small agricultural pests.
Conservation Status
Not evaluated by IUCN; generally common and expanding its range via the international plant trade.
Interesting Facts
Uloborids are the only family of spiders that completely lacks venom glands. They also use a specialized organ called a cribellum to produce 'hackled silk,' which uses microscopic fibers to physically tangle prey rather than using glue-like adhesives.
Photography Tips
A macro lens is essential. Focus on the 'feathers' on the front legs or the side profile to capture the humped shape of the abdomen. Use a small aperture (high f-stop) to get the whole spider in focus, as they are often more elongated than they are wide.
Identified: 2026-06-20T18:17:07.464290