Bug FAQCommon Ground-Weaver
Tenuiphantes tenuis · Order: Araneae · Family: Linyphiidae
Also called: Dwarf weaver
The spider is about 2 to 3 mm long, not counting its legs (≈0.08 to 0.12 in). Its carapace is dark brown and the abdomen usually shows clear black spots; the legs are brown and lack rings. It lives among low vegetation, moss and leaf litter and is native to Europe, Macaronesia, northern Africa, Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The carapace is dark brown. The abdomen often has clear black spots and the spider is more slender than other family members; its legs are brown and lack annulations.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Body length (excluding legs) ranges from about 2 to 3 mm (0.079 to 0.118 in).
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its native distribution includes Europe, Macaronesia, northern Africa, Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Source: Wikipedia
Lookalikes
It is more slender than other species in its family, which helps distinguish it from look-alikes.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 10 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Hawaii, Washington, California, Alaska, Colorado, Montana, Indiana, Ohio.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
Questions people ask
How can I recognize Tenuiphantes tenuis?
Look for a small (2 to 3 mm) spider with a dark brown carapace, an abdomen marked with clear black spots, brown legs without rings, and a slender body shape.
Source: Wikipedia
Where might I find this spider in my garden?
It tends to live in low vegetation, moss and leaf litter.
Source: Wikipedia
What region is this spider native to?
It is native to Europe, Macaronesia, northern Africa, Turkey, the Caucasus and Central Asia.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Linyphiidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tenuiphantes_tenuis
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-27 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-27.