Having first been recorded here in 1861, this spider is a relative newcomer to Britain and, though it is still most frequently seen in southeastern England, it is slowly expanding its range north and west. I found this one at Cosmeston Lakes Country Park, not because I was looking for it, but simply because I noticed something had spun a web to bind two or three reed seedheads together and wondered what it was.

The adult spider was visible inside, and my photos were clear enough to see the distinctive red stripe that runs within a broader band of cream down the centre of its abdomen, which helped confirm this as Cheiracanthium erraticum. It favours grassland, more particularly areas of heathland, where it is typically found in low vegetation.