About Brigittea civica (Lucas, 1850)
Brigittea civica (Lucas, 1850) is known from both male and female specimens. Its front body (prosoma) is dark brown with a dark border, and its sternum ranges from dark brown to black. Its legs are light brown and may have dark bands. Both sexes have a total body length between 2.3 and 3.5 mm. Brigittea civica is a cosmopolitan species with a wide global distribution across Europe, North Africa, and Turkey, and it has been introduced to South Africa. In South Africa, it is currently only known from Gauteng province, where it occurs at 1,252 m above sea level. Brigittea civica builds retreat-webs on walls, and the spider positions itself in the center of the web, which is made up of sticky threads that radiate outward. Its populations can increase in size very rapidly. The species is thermophilic, has high susceptibility to frost, and cannot tolerate direct rain or wind. While it is often found in colonies on building walls, its natural habitat is on rocks.
