This spider is about 4 mm long and has a dark, almost black head and abdomen, and orangey red legs. The male is quite striking as his eyes sit in two groups at the top and middle of a slender tower more than twice the height of the head itself.

Occurs in almost any habitat in the ground zone, including grassland, heathland, woodland, marsh and reed-beds, with a preference for damper substrates.

Adults can be found in any month, but males mostly during the autumn, winter and spring.

Widespread and quite common in Britain.

Fairly frequent in Leicestershire and Rutland.

7326 British records to Jan 2013