Sac or tube spiders

Family Clubionidae

Back<------ Clubiona lutescens

Family Clubionidae

The spiders are not large and mostly brownish without any clear markings. They are nocturnal hunters and they spent their daytime in a densely woven silk cell that often had two openings. The spiders make their living tubes under stones, loose bark, between moss but also between leaves.

Mating takes place in this living tube. There is almost no foreplay when the male approaches the female. The mother guards here eggs and after hatching the young remain in the living tube for some time.

The do not make a web to catch but actively hunt for their prey. They use two tactics for prey capture. The easy way, just wait or like a cat crawling to the prey and jump on it. They can walk on rough or flat surfaces like glass.

These spiders are small as you can see when the male Clubiona stagnatilis is running in my hand.

The fourth leg pair are often the longest pair. Their spinners are large.

The species are very similar in appearance and determination by look is almost impossible.

Note the reflection of the flashlight in the two reflecting eyes. --->
The other six eyes do not reflect light. Reflecting eyes make the spider see better in the dark.
The spiders hangs on a thin thread between my fingers.

These spiders can fly by what is called ballooning.

Genus Clubiona

Nineteen species are represented by this genus in Europe. Their abdomen is usually dull brownish or reddish gray. They hunt at night and spend the day in a cell of silk that can be found under stones and bark. These spiders are between 5 and 12 mm long.


Clubiona brevipes	Clubiona brevipes

Clubiona comta	Clubiona comta

Clubiona comta juvenile	Clubiona comta male underside

Clubiona corticalis male	Clubiona corticalis male (photo Hans Jonkman)

Clubiona diversa	Clubiona diversa

Clubiona lutescens	Clubiona lutescens with egg-sac

Clubiona pallidula Picture by Frans Hoogstraten

Clubiona stagnatilis female	Clubiona stagnatilis female

Clubiona stagnatilis female with younsters	Clubiona stagnatilis male

Clubiona terrestris/trivialis male	Clubiona terrestris/trivialis male

Clubiona trivialis	Clubiona trivialis

Ed Nieuwenhuys, 13 feb 2023
7 jun 2020, 2 jan 2017, 6 juli 2015, 31 april 2010, 1 maart 2003