How difficult is it to keep Desert velvet spider?

Intermediate. This is an intermediate-level species. Some prior experience and knowledge of environmental management are recommended.

How large does Desert velvet spider get?

Desert velvet spider typically reaches Body length up to 12 mm (males), up to 15 mm (females) as an adult. Size may vary depending on care conditions and individual genetics.

What should I feed Desert velvet spider?

Desert velvet spider feeds on: Carnivorous (flying insects and other prey caught in the web). Aim for a balanced diet with appropriate feeding frequency.

What is the typical price for Desert velvet spider?

The price of Desert velvet spider varies significantly depending on morph, size, and lineage. Check our market price page for the latest pricing information.

Source: Wikimedia Commons

Desert velvet spider

Intermediate

Stegodyphus lineatus

An eresid spider whose abdomen usually bears two broad black stripes. It builds a web and a cone-shaped retreat among shrub twigs, and is known for its young eventually eating their mother.

Difficulty

Intermediate

Lifespan

Little data

Size

Body length up to 12 mm (males), up to 15 mm (females)

Diet

Carnivorous (flying insects and other prey caught in the web)

About

Stegodyphus lineatus (Latreille, 1817) is a spider of the family Eresidae and the only European member of its genus. It ranges from the southern Mediterranean region of Europe (Spain south of Barcelona, Sicily, and southern Greece including Crete) across North Africa to Tajikistan, living in deserts such as the Negev in Israel and in dry Mediterranean climates. In the pet trade it has been called the desert velvet spider. Males grow to 12 mm and females to 15 mm. The colour ranges from whitish to almost black, and most individuals have a whitish abdomen with two broad black longitudinal stripes. It builds a web about 30 cm across between the twigs of low thorny shrubs, attached to a cone-shaped retreat about 5 cm long made of silk covered with debris and prey remains; web repair takes place at night. The spiderlings hatch inside the retreat, are released from the cocoon by their mother and guarded for about two weeks, and then eat her. Males are also known to discard egg sacs fathered by other males so that the female will mate again. In Japan specialist shops sometimes offer animals, for example from Egypt.

Source: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Size of the Desert velvet spider

The Desert velvet spider grows to Body length up to 12 mm (males), up to 15 mm (females).

Basic Info

Origin

Southern Mediterranean Europe and North Africa to Central Asia (Tajikistan)

Lifespan

Little data

Size

Body length up to 12 mm (males), up to 15 mm (females)

Diet

References & Sources

Edited & verified by: BreederDirect editorial team

The taxonomic, regulatory, and husbandry data on this page are compiled and verified against the authoritative primary sources below.

Primary sources

Taxonomy & Authority

Accepted name: Stegodyphus lineatus (Latreille, 1817)

Synonyms: Stegodyphus arenarius (Kroneberg, 1875), Stegodyphus lineatus deserticola Simon, 1908

Authority databases: GBIF · GBIF

Nomenclature follows global taxonomic authority databases.

Regulations & Conservation Status

Not CITES-listed

It is not a designated invasive species, an uncategorised alien species or a taxon needing an identification certificate in Japan, and it is not listed by CITES (September 2026). It is a non-native spider, so keep it in escape-proof housing and never release captive animals.

Sources: Ministry of the Environment: List of regulated alien species, including taxa needing an identification certificate (JA) / Species+ CITES query (not listed)

Regulations may change. Always verify the latest information with the relevant authorities.