Fauna
Arachnid · GBIF taxon 2162537

Wall Spider

Oecobius navus

Also known as Cosmopolitan Wall Spider, Disc Web Spider

Wall spiders construct miniature, tent-like silk sheets over stucco crevices and stone fissures, leaving tiny peripheral slits as sensory tripwires. When an ant or small insect brushes the edge, the spider darts out and circles dizzyingly around its target, swathing the prey in sticky ribbons cast from a specialized anal comb. These minute cosmopolitan arachnids thrive along domestic walls and masonry, providing subtle but relentless control of domestic pests.

SynanthropicAnt HunterMiniature
Wall Spider reference1 / 7
Licensed reference(c) Shannon Stoner, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Shannon Stoner · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • Ants
  • Booklice
  • Springtails
Predators
  • Cellar Spiders
  • Jumping Spiders
  • Geckos
ThreatsRoutine household pesticide spraying and heavy vacuuming
HabitatsInterior and exterior walls, rock faces, stone crevices, and tree trunks
Life span9–12 months
Classification
  1. OrderAraneae
  2. FamilyOecobiidae
  3. GenusOecobius
  4. SpeciesOecobius navus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Flashlight Spotting: Shine a light across exterior masonry after dark to illuminate their small, flattened silk tents.
  • Hunting Observation: Watch closely when small ants wander near the web margins to witness the spider's rapid circling attack.
Related species
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