6mm adult male Lynx Spider, found on heather at a Surrey heathland site, 4th May 2026.
Lynx Spider - (Oxyopes heterophthalmus)
Oxyopes heterophthalmus is native to the UK and is Britain's only species of Lynx Spider, from the family Oxyopidae. Oxyopes heterophthalmus was first recorded in Britain back in 1855. This is a nationally rare species, which for the last 100 years has been confined to just a handful of heathland sites in Surrey. On the sites where it is found it can be quite numerous. There are some old records, from 1858 to 1910, of Lynx Spiders being found at the New Forest, near Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst, in South Hampshire, but this species hasn't been seen in the New Forest for over 100 years now. Elsewhere Oxyopes heterophthalmus has a Palearctic distribution and is widespread in central and southern Europe.
Lynx Spiders earn their common name from their agile hunting of other invertebrates, as they stealthily prowl through heather, and other low vegetation, in a manor akin to the Lynx cat. The long, graceful, slender legs afford these spiders great speed and dexterity, which they use to full advantage when chasing down and jumping on their prey. Lynx Spiders are primarily ambush predators though and most of their time is spent waiting motionlessly for an unsuspecting victim to land, or wander too close to them, before they pounce upon it. Although Lynx Spiders don't make a web to hunt their prey they may suspend themselves on vegetation by a few silken threads. Despite the small size of their eyes Lynx Spiders, still have very good eyesight for a spider, although not as good as either Salticidae or Lycosidae, both of which have considerably larger eyes than Oxyopidae. In fact their binominal name "Oxyopes", is derived from the Greek words “oxy”, meaning sharp, and “ops”, which refers to eyes. The later part of their name "heterophthalmus" also derives from the Greek language and means "different eyed". This refers to the variation in the size of each of the four pairs eyes on this species, which like other Lynx Siders, have the six larger eyes arranged in a hexagonal pattern.
Oxyopes heterophthalmus is a small to medium-sized spider. Adult males typically reach around 5-7mm in body-length. There is a discrepancy over the size of the females though, with some sources claiming that they're the same size as the males, but the Britain's Spiders Field Guide claims that the females are larger, and usually reach around 5-12mm. From my limited experience with this species I haven't personally encountered any females over 6.5mm in length. Both sexes have a similar appearance but mature males can easily be distinguished by their dark, and obvious palpal bulbs. Both sexes usually reach maturity in late May or June. Some adult specimens may still be found as late as the end of September. After mating the female spins a cocoon, usually around June, which she attaches to vegetation, and guards until the eggs within hatch.
All Lynx Spiders have a somewhat prickly appearance, as their legs are covered in long, dark spine-like bristles, which are actually sensory-hairs, known as setae. Setae pick up tiny vibrations, and variations in the movement of air, and help the spiders to detect both prey and potential predators. These leg-spines also help with the capture and securing of prey, as well as helping the spiders to navigate through vegetation at speed.
One feature that's not found on all Lynx Spiders, but is present on Lynx Spiders within the Oxyopes genus, is the presence of small scales on the face area, abdomen, and the legs of the Oxyopes species of Lynx Spiders. These scales are actually specialised, flattened setae. The scale-shaped setae are usually white, silver, golden yellow or grey, and often have a metallic, iridescent sheen. They serve to break up the shape of the spider and give it a cryptic appearance, which may afford them some degree of camouflage and protection from predators. It's possible that these scales may also reflect UV light, which would aid the spider's well-developed eye-sight as a diurnal hunter.
Oxyopes heterophthalmus is a fairly distinctive spider in the UK and shouldn't be confused with other species. The one possible exception is the Running Crab Spider, Rhysodromus histrio, which can also sometimes be found on heather. - LINK
* I would like to give huge thanks to Ben Dale for his help finding this species on Surrey heathland. *
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Photographs were taken using: OM System OM-1 mkii camera, OM System M.Zuiko Digital ED 90mm F/3.5 Macro IS PRO Lens, Godox V860iii flash & AK OM-90 Pro diffuser.