Long-jawed orb-weavers are able to walk across the surface of water. In fact, they are much faster on water than they are on land.

Physical description
Female long-jawed orb-weavers are 6.5-11mm long and males are 6-9mm. They have very long legs and a long abdomen. When they stretch out their front and rear legs they form a straight line and can easily hide against plant stems.

Distribution
They are very common in Britain and are found all over the northern hemisphere.

Habitat
Long-jawed orb weavers are frequently found on low vegetation particularly near water.

Diet
They hunt flying insects found near water, such as damselflies and mosquitoes.

Behaviour
This species builds a very loose orb web and either sits at the centre or on a nearby plant and waits for insects to become entangled in the web. The orb web is often nearly horizontal.

Reproduction
There is little or no courtship in this spider species. They have very large jaws which lock together during mating - this probably helps to ensure that the female cannot eat the male before they have mated. The egg sac is deposited on a grass stem and resembles a bird dropping, which camouflages it from predators.

Conservation status
This spider is not protected by law in the UK.