Synanthropic is best: Nuctenea umbratica (Araneae: Araneidae) and Steatoda bipunctata (Araneae: Theridiidae) are the European Spiders of the Years 2017 and 2018

The European spiders of the year 2017, Nuctenea umbratica (Clerck, 1757), and 2018, Steatoda bipunctata (Linnaeus, 1758), are presented. Both species were originally bark-dwellers, but became more and more synanthropic. Their appearance and characteristics (e.g., ecology, habitat, phenology) are briefly described. The modality of the voting is given as well as the decisive criteria for the win.