Quick Facts

Scientific name:  Synaema globosum

Size:  Females up to 9mm, males up to 4mm

Distribution:  One specimen found on the Scottish border (Aug 2016)

Months seen:  All year round

Habitat:  On tall vegetation, especially umbellifers

Food:  Invertebrates

Special features:  The Napoleon Spider gets its name from the black marking on the top of the abdomen  It looks like a silhouette of Napoleon in his bicorne hat, which he famously wore sideways.  The abdomen itself can be either yellow or red (as in the photos here).  The head is dark brown and the legs are brown with white bands which are more prominent on the 3rd and 4th pairs.

This specimen was spotted in a garden on the Scottish border near Kelso.  It's the first sighting of this species we've received here.  If you find one please send us a photo.

Related Pages

• Is This a Deadly Spider?
• Spider Identification
• Identify other wildlife
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