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Esmond Brown

@chalkspring.bsky.social

180 followers 180 following 160 posts

Gentleman, scholar and sometime acrobat. Foodie, chef, rugby player, birder, diplomat, drinker of fine malt whisky and gin. Your friendly neighbourhood spiderman – if your neighbourhood is The Chilterns, South Buckinghamshire or the Scottish Highlands

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 2d

It is indeed Linyphia triangularis, but I've never seen one standing on top of its web

Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 2d

🤣

Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 2d

Tiny! Makes Maro minutus look like a giant

Reposted by Esmond Brown

Tylan Berry @tylanberry.bsky.social · 2d

Really awesome to see an adult male of the rare Glyphesis servulus in Cambridgeshire recently. A right whopper at 1mm! 😁 @britishspiders.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk @graemelyons.bsky.social @chalkspring.bsky.social

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 4d

D.crocata for sure, your palp shots are good enough

Reposted by Esmond Brown

Tegwyn @arachnoteg.bsky.social · 4d

#Aractober Woodlouse spider, Dysdera crocata. An adult male. Not great palp shots. Has femora spines, garden find plus at 11mm it's not going to be D erythrina. For more ID tips visit srs.britishspiders.org.uk/portal.php/p...

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 7d

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social
Two spiders that I seem to find if I'm NOT looking for them:
Antistea elegans is a spider I've wanted to find on the Bucks section of the R. Chess, having years ago seen Doug Marriott's records for it on the Herts side

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 7d

Happy to defer to those (Graeme, Richard) with greater experience, but that dark cephalothorax (often the whole spider looks black, apart from legs)is very typical of flavipes and not at all like the pale-brown headed cristatus I find

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 7d

My first thought too, but all my specimens of cristatus stand out because, unlike most other Tenuiphantes I see, they are well sclerotised. In Løvbrekke's drawings, the highlighted 'pockets' should be visible. The lobes on cristatus never fill more than half the copulatory opening in my experience

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 8d

T.flavipes with those large round lobes to the scapus

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 11d

I'm slightly disappointed that Richard's not in his wetsuit

Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 11d

Some familiar backs of heads 😁

Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 11d

Wow! Great find. Who gets the credit?

Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 11d

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social
Me: I don't have a favourite UK spider

Also me: 😍

#Arachtober

Ero tuberculata, a rather scarce Pirate Spider is found mainly on mature heathland on tall heather and gorse, but sometimes also in houses. It searches out the webs of other spiders in order to feed on the occupants

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Reposted by Esmond Brown

John Boorman @johnboorman.bsky.social · 12d

Garden wildlife. These Harvestmen (Opiliones) are quite active in the garden at night at the moment. Thanks to Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social for confirming the ID as Odiellus spinosus. @britishspiders.bsky.social #londonwildlife

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 16d

@travismcenery.bsky.social is a great natural history communicator

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Reposted by Esmond Brown

Simon Phelps @simonphelps.bsky.social · 18d

Many people are afraid of spiders. However it would be hard to be scared of this one. This is Aelurillus v-insignitus, which I found on the dune heaths in Dorset last year. A lovely little jumping spider, very charming! Thanks to @tylanberry.bsky.social for the ID! @dorsetwildlife.bsky.social

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 18d

Beautiful spider

Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 18d

Still sour that Celtic lost in the final of a one team competition in May? At least these favourites hauled themselves over the line. I'm not celebrating, but I'm very happy for this group of exemplary sportswomen. Deserved champions

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 18d

Miles ahead? Did you watch the semi finals? England have the best squad and they proved it today, but there is no gulf between any of those four

Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 22d

Regularly seen on the south coast – Brighton appears to be a hot-spot. Check iRecord and and iNat for recent records, while British Spiders undergoes a big overhaul

Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 24d

I'm jealous of that var marmoreus. I'd love to see one

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Reposted by Esmond Brown

joemyers2k.bsky.social @joemyers2k.bsky.social · 25d

Four nice Araneus'. Two forms of Araneus marmoreus, a quadratus, and a nice dark brown diadematus. @britishspiders.bsky.social

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 25d

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk
Great to run into an old friend...
Mastigusa arietina

Mastigusa arietina, a small, rare spider that lives amongst ants in their nest and has the most elaborate palps of any UK spider

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · Sep 13

Absolutely deserved!. Congratulations