Zora silvestris

The females are 5 to 7.7 mm (¹⁄₅ to ³⁄₁₀ in) in length, the males 3 to 4 mm (¹⁄₁₂ to ¹⁄₆ in). The epigyne has a quite distinct groove.[2] This species and the related Zora spinimana are difficult to identify from each other, Z. silvestris is more grey coloured than the warm yellow colouration of Z. spinimana. The darker legs of Z. silvestris are usually quite obvious. The two dark lateral bands on the carapace of Z. silvestris are broader than those on Z. spinimana and the prosoma on Z. silvestris is more contrastingly marked.[3] Z. silvestris has two pairs of spines on metatarsi I and II, the other species of Zora in Britain have three.[4]

In Great Britain, Zora silvestris occurs on dry heathland, most commonly encountered in mature heather. A stronghold of the species is Sherwood Forest where it is found with larger numbers of Zora spinimana in mixed heather and grassland where the encroaching scrub had been cleared. Adults of both sexes are found from May to July, although a female has been recorded in September.[5]

Zora silvestris is found from western Europe eastwards into central Asia.[1] In Europe this is a widespread species in western and central Europe north to Sweden, although encountered infrequently.[2] but in Great Britain it is very rare, being recorded from only five sites in southern England, the most northerly being Sherwood Forest. Its rarity may be exaggerated by the difficulty of separating it from Zora spinimana.[5]