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British Arachnological Society

@britishspiders.bsky.social

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The British Arachnological Society (BAS) is the UK’s only body devoted exclusively to the study of arachnids (spiders, harvestmen & pseudoscorpions): https://britishspiders.org.uk. To record GB spiders, please use https://irecord.org.uk/enter-srs-records.

britishspiders.org.uk.

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · Jan 26

In bookshops from 30th January and available now on pre-order, @rlewington2.bsky.social's authoritative and exquisitely illustrated new @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social pocket guide to Britain's commonest and most easily recognizable spiders. Highly recommended! #spiders #arachnology

The cover of Richard Lewington's new pocket guide to British spiders - illustrated with a Wasp Spider

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 5h

Wow, the press really have been going crazy, even by their odd standards

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 23h

'Tis the season to be silly - again @thesun.co.uk, @express.co.uk among others.
Last year's quotes, this year's new misinformation: these still extremely rare animals are now thriving in a few restored wetlands but are NOT 'in our homes' #responsiblejournalism @patrickbarkham.bsky.social #Dolomedes

Image of headlines from The Sun, Daily Express and Time Out showing Dolomedes (Raft spider) species and misleading headlines

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AJCann @ajcann.bsky.social · 1d

Palmer, P., Cann, A., Sexton, T., Fox, B., & Pitt-Miller, S. (2025) Spiders of the Rutland Water Lagoons: An Exploratory Survey. ISBN 979-8269245362
Learn more: ajcarthropoda.blogspot.com/2025/10/spid...
#Arachnids #Spiders #VC55

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Tegwyn @arachnoteg.bsky.social · 15h

Shaken from bamboo today it's Tetragnatha, Long jawed orbweb spider. The sternum patterns can help divide them into two groups. T.extensa/pinicola have a yellow triangle, the others plain brown. #Aractober This one showing the classic pose

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Tylan Berry @tylanberry.bsky.social · 1d

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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Tegwyn @arachnoteg.bsky.social · 1d

Found lots of tiny juv. ant mimics amongst pea gravel today. At least one looks like Phrurolithus festivus to me @britishspiders.bsky.social #Aractober

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George McGavin @georgemcgavin.bsky.social · 2d

I like spiders in the house, but there are limits! Louise Bourgeois at Gallery of Modern Art, Edinburgh

Giant, spindly-legged, metal spider artwork made by Louise Bourgeois located in a gallery and filling the whole room...

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James Emerson @norwichbirder.bsky.social · 3d

Something else found on willows at Whitlingham today was this Marbled Orb-weaver, Araneus marmoreus var. pyramidatus (srs.britishspiders.org.uk/portal.php/p...). Very noticeable against green leaves, but you can see how it might blend in once the leaves start to yellow in autumn.

A spider with a round yellow abdomen with a brown area near the back. The legs are banded dark brown and white. It is resting on the underside of some willow leaves, with a yellowed willow leaf to the left of the picture.

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 3d

Rory, mengei and segmentata are almost inseparable without microscopy. However, adult males (this isn’t an adult male) can be ID’d by the presence (mengei) or absence (segmentata) of certain spines on tarsi of first pair of legs.

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Rory @norwichgiant.bsky.social · 3d

@britishspiders.bsky.social

Metellina segmentata?

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 3d

Metellina ✅
It’s likely to be segmentata at this time of year but that isn’t 100% reliable.
Nothing visible in this photo to confirm ID to species.

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Jonathan Bliss @jonathanbliss.bsky.social · 4d

Yesterday I posted a male nursery web spider, today a female. Pisuara mirabilis. These are lovely spiders and I often seem them in gardens where there is a little bit of wild space. #Arachtober

A close up of a largish brown spider with a whitish stripe along the side of the abdomen. She is resting on a leaf with a tightly woven web near her feet. This is actually part of her nursery web and was full
of spiderlings.

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 4d

Replied to original post

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Lynne McNulty @linners.bsky.social · 4d

One I’m sharing my flat with .. a ‘Bridge’ spider .. ?

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 4d

It looks like Missing Sector Orbweb spider (Zygiella x-notata), a very common spider that is almost ubiquitous and often around window and door frames (normally outside!)

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 4d

Anywhere outside, preferably where it has somewhere to hide

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jankitty.bsky.social @jankitty.bsky.social · 4d

This isn't a great pic but any ideas what it could be? It's very pale with hardly any markings.
@britishspiders.bsky.social

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 4d

It’s a sac spider (genus Clubiona). The ground spiders (genus Drassodes) can look similar but the posterior median eyes (PMEs) are much closer together

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John Boorman @johnboorman.bsky.social · 4d

Garden spiders (Araneus diadematus) can build impressive webs, at least in terms of the distance of the support lines. For the last 2 days this one has built a web where the lines go from the gutter of my kitchen roof to plants below, a distance of just over 2m. @britishspiders.bsky.social

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Lloyd Davies @lloyd9632.bsky.social · 4d

Chthonius ischnocheles with an Orbatid mite meal, in the garden in Shaftesbury. They seem to like these!

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Tegwyn @arachnoteg.bsky.social · 5d

Definitely the smallest sub/adult non money spider I've yet found. Almost passed it by but the spinnerets caught my attention. Need someone to confirm ID pls @britishspiders.bsky.social Hahnia sp. Possibly H.nava as long hairs on the abdomen? New for me. #Aractober @tylanberry.bsky.social

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 5d

Possibly H. nava but images appear slightly blurred (yeah, I known it’s tiny) and so reluctant to offer an ID

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Rory @norwichgiant.bsky.social · 5d

Camouflage

@britishspiders.bsky.social #Bugsky #invertebrates #spiders

Araneus diadematus hiding in some bramble near her vast web

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Michael Jones @mixaeljones.bsky.social · 5d

Fencepost Jumping Spider… on a fence, but not jumping! 🕷️

@britishspiders.bsky.social
#Spider #Arachtober

A Fencepost Jumping Spider on a wooden fence looks towards the camera. It has hairy palps and the photographer can be seen reflected in the spider’s front two eyes

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Graeme Lyons @graemelyons.bsky.social · 6d

Mark Telfer and I only went and refound Aulonia albimana on the Isle of Wight two days ago! Quite possibly the best spider find of my life! Lots of other records too. analternativenaturalhistoryofsussex.blogspot.com/2025/10/whit...

#spiders #Isleofwight #biologicalrecording #panspecieslisting

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