BAS
@BritishSpiders
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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).
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Pinned Tweet
Statement now on our website on the war in Ukraine (at including information on how to help):
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Spider of interest - Marbled Orbweaver, Araneus marmoreus. This spider is adult at this time of the year so, amongst the var pyramidatus, look for the less common var marmoreus with its various colour variations. Found along woodland edges, dense hedgerows, bramble etc.
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They've finally arrived -
@rlewington2
's wonderful tribute to the amazing diversity of Britain's spiders. Available now on pre-order from
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Very disappointing to see two more schools following this unnecessary course of action. These spiders do not pose the threat that they are accused of. Measures to remove them are, in our informed opinion, unwarranted and pose risks of their own (genuine risks).
#LoveSpiders
Nine schools now needlessly closed in
@NewhamLondon
as head teachers react to
#falsewidow
scaremongering by poorly informed, headline-hunting journalists. Children deserve better.
@BBCSpringwatch
@ChrisGPackham
@BritishSpiders
@Buzz_dont_tweet
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This beautiful spider look as if it's wrapped for
#Christmas
. Silvery appearance in spiders results from light reflected off thin crystalline plates of guanine (an excretory product) deposited under the hypodermis - e.g. in some Tetragnatha species and Theridiosoma.
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We've often tweeted pics of insects with spider-mimicking patterns in their wings - but this one is new to us and a great example:
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Was surprised, but delighted, to see this article in today’s Guardian - the ultimate lovely legs competition: the world's nine most beautiful spiders. Spiders portrayed as objects of beauty!
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Here's an arachnological idea for 2019. Whether spiders are your lifelong passion, a new interest, or a fear you have longed to overcome, are you prepared to make a spider pledge for 2019? Please let us know what you hope to achieve. Maybe we can help?
#MySpiderPledge
🕷️🕸️
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@YouGov
"a record number of bugs" - where have you got your figures from? Populations of UK insects and other invertebrates generally, and of numerous individual species, are in steady decline
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Thank you to each and every one of you for your support of and interest in
@BritishSpiders
Earlier today, we passed 10,000 followers for the very first time. It is good to know that so many of you are fascinated and enthralled by our 8-legged friends 🕷
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The
@RoyalMail
British Spiders stamps are issued today! Superb illustrations by
@rlewington2
of ten species show the diversity & the beauty of our spider fauna.
If anyone is interested, special packs available at or stamps from your nearest Post Office.
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@LifeAfloat
Nick, it is a Colourful Funnelweb Spider (Textrix denticulata). It’s widely distributed in the UK👇🏻 and is completely harmless.
Safe travels.
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@davidagoodland
It's one of the Large house spiders (Eratigena) species. They're gentle giants. This one's an adult male trying to fulfill his one remaining aim in life - to find adult females. More information in our Factsheet 2 at .
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For
#WorldWetlandsDay2021
we're celebrating GB's
#wetland
spiders. Wetland habitats have declined by 90% in the last 100 years but 25% of Britain's spiders of conservation concern depend on them. Please contribute your
#WetlandSpider
images!
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Don't forget the little ones: 17% of GB's 670+ spider species are threatened with extinction. Spiders are essential to normal functioning of ecosystems & ultimately our well-being.
@ChrisGPackham
@IUCNSpiderSG
#PeoplesWalkforWildlife
@Ecoentogeek
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Looking for gift ideas for yourself, or the arachnologist in your life? The 2nd revised edition of WildGuides Britain’s Spiders (Bee, Oxford & Smith) was published in September & is available from most bookshops & online merchants. Improved ID features, keys & species accounts.
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Just a week after the death of arachnological legend John Murphy, we are devastated and immensely sad to learn of the untimely death of Mike Roberts. His books, including joint publications with John, and wonderful illustrations, are the bibles of modern British arachnology.
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Breaking news!
@BritishSpiders
has won the best stand award
@TheBirdfair
2018! Congratulations to the whole team! We’re all back tomorrow so come along and say hello (Marquee 8 stand 6-7)
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Widely reported in todays media including the BBC and
@guardian
(below), the wolf spider Alopecosa fabrilis has been recorded on a Surrey heath for the first time since 1999.
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A Happy Christmas to our followers and to other spider enthusiasts everywhere
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@gailashton
@EmmaKennedy
It is not Steatoda nobilis, but the related Steatoda bipunctata. The uniformly pale central area of the abdomen, darkening towards the outer edges together with annulations / darkening at ends of each leg segment are good clues to ID
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Some people have exceptional eyesight! This pseudoscorpion was found by
@luke_ology
crawling in moss on Kielder Mires, Northumberland this morning during BAS Members’ Weekend. It’s no more than a couple of millimetres long!
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A stark contrast between the ridiculous headlines used by
@Independent
@itvnews
and
@MailOnline
in the last week and this piece by
@guardian
Full article
Some journalists do engage with experts and avoid sensationalism 👏🏻
Marvellous indeed! & a tribute to decades of tireless work by Helen Smith
@WaveneyCott
Fantastic -
@BritishSpiders
#Spiders
#GreatRaftSpider
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We are excited to announce that anyone joining the British Arachnological Society and paying by direct debit, between now and 31st May 2020, will receive a free copy of Britain’s Spiders, worth £25.
To join, visit our website at and follow link for DD
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Continuing this week’s theme of “Spider Basics”, all British spiders have either 6 or 8 eyes, normally arranged in two rows on the front of cephalothorax. The size and arrangement of the eyes can be really important when assigning a spider to family as pictures below demonstrate
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And here's a
#SpiderHistory
woodcut 1547, the most anatomically accurate so far (which isn't saying a lot...)
Medieval belief often considered
#spiders
as "worms" - a category including many invertebrates, which were mostly believed to spawn naturally from flesh, wood, or earth.
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Wishing all of our followers a very Peaceful and Happy Christmas. Thank you to everyone who has contributed to our🕷feed in the last year with your photos, ID enquiries, comments and most important, fascination and enthusiasm.
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Dear
@LakelandUK
, Britain's 670 spider species are a fascinating, diverse & harmless bunch. Nearly 25% are of conservation concern & 16% threatened with extinction. Arachnophobia is a real problem for people & spiders- help us tackle it with leadership & education, not permethrin
Horrified that
@LakelandUK
is enabling people to kill spiders with permethrin (left hand one) or repel them.
@BritishSpiders
total nature disconnect
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What do some of the
@BritishSpiders
members do on a Members’ Weekend? Well, kneel / lie down in the heather
@NTClumberPark
looking for a rare spider, if course!
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Excited to announce that stock of the new, extensively revised edition of
@PrincetonUPress
Britain's Spiders WildGuide, will be on sale in September. Produced in association with the BAS, royalties from sales of the book help support our work.
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Happy New Year to all spider enthusiasts. We hope you have a successful year ahead studying and recording spiders and we look forward to seeing some interesting pictures and reports of your activities.
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@dustonschool
This is absurd. Assuming the spiders are correctly identified, you are referring to Noble False Widow (Steatoda nobilis). It can bite, but only as a last resort when threatened. You are more likely to be stung by a bumblebee; do you close the school each time you see one if them?
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The wolf spider, Pirata piscatorius, is often confused with the Raft Spider, Dolomedes fimbriatus. Actually, they are very different! Both at Street Heath, Somerset earlier today.
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Wow! Awesome photo of the UK's one native species of Mygalomorphae (the group which includes bird eating spiders)!
These wonderful animals are harmless & very secretive, living in a tube web that extends from its burrow like a 'dirty finger' camouflaged with bits of vegetation.
Crikey, just found this beauty on my walk today! Purseweb spider, Atypus affinis.
@graemelyons
@GlennNorris13
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Hope to be RT-ing this to a very biased audience, but what's not to love about this fabulous and extremely rare animal? We're delighted to be working with
@NTmidlands
to help ensure its future.
Thanatus formicinus - listed as Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct) until discovery
@NTClumberPark
in 2017.The 2018
@BritishSpiders
survey will help with future conservation to protect these spiders.
@morethanadodo
Do you love or loathe spiders?
Image Richard Gallon.
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The forked-palp harvestman species Dicranopalpus ramosus agg. are very distinctive in their resting posture and in having... forked palps!
@Megabunus
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We have some brilliant jumping spiders in Britain but, if you're looking for a
#lockdown
#fridaynight
pick-me-up, the Jumping spiders of South African website just has to bring some joy and wonder:
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The daddy long-legs spider was first recorded in UK in the mid-19th century, but is now widespread and, in England & Wales at least, relatively common. It prefers warm & sheltered spaces (homes, sheds & garages) and can be numerous. But did you know there are three species in UK
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Great to see a sensible and balanced article defending common sense and spiders by
@patrick_barkham
of The Guardian. It is a human tragedy when schools close due to a harmless spider | Patrick Barkham
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Shame on you
@MailOnline
for this choice of headline about the exciting discovery of a small, fascinating & likely endangered animal in critically endangered habitat
@8leggedyogi
@IUCNSpiderSG
:
Terrifying new species of spider discovered in Miami
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For anyone still not convinced that jumping spiders have cute-appeal, Paraphidippus fartilis, distributed from the USA to Costa Rica, must surely convince (probably deserves a new specific name though...).
@StevenFalk1
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Quite frankly, this beggars belief! We can understand that some people prefer not to share their homes with spiders, but why waste your money on some “witches brew” when a glass & card are readily to hand and cost nothing. Conkers are free too & probably as effective as this 🤔
Eh? Not sure I believe this. And I certainly don’t approve.
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We're delighted to announce that the BAS now has a dedicated
@iRecordWildlife
form for entering all your UK spider, harvestman and Pseudoscorpion records. Please use it to submit your records with optional ecological details.
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As we may have had some influence on
@Britnatureguide
poll earlier this week - with Spiders winning the vote - here are two photos of the same species, Araneus quadratus, the largest spider by weight in the UK
#SpidersOfTheWorldWeekend
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Despite the wet weather, ladybird spider put in an appearance
@RSPBArne
today! Part of
@NatureBftB
display which has official opening on 15th February, to which all are invited. Great to see a spider feature so prominently in a public display!
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Today is
#saveaspiderday
, which originated in the US to raise awareness of the importance of spiders and to help overcome arachnophobia. We hope it goes some way to achieving its goals. There are many spiders that need help.
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New year greetings to all our lovely followers - may the spiders (not to mention harvestmen and pseudoscorpions) of happiness help you through it 🥂🍾🕷🕸
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@RobStacewicz
It is a female green huntsman spider (Micrommata virescens), normally to be found in damp woodland or on long grass. I am sure it would rather be outside. Certainly not a common spider (officially classed as Nationally Scarce) and a treat to see one!
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Good Morning
#Spider
Tweeps.
@mattprince1969
standing in for the day and I thought I'd start with the naming conventions for Spider Eyes.
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At the end of Autumnwatch tonight Chris Packham announced that tomorrow (Thurs 28th) the programme would feature wasp spiders (Agriope bruenicchi), with a discussion about their web. So, try and tune in!
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Wonderful footage of a bolas spider 'fishing' for moths!
完成した投げ縄を元気よく振り回すマメイタイセキグモ。
人間の声や蛾の羽ばたきによる空気の振動が回転行動を引き起こします。
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Whilst larger animals commonly catch the limelight, many smaller species are at genuine risk of extinction. The ladybird spider (Eresus sandaliatus) is one such example.
#LoveSpiders
#SaveOurSpecies
via
@telegraphnews
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Anyone interested in spiders should try to watch Autumnwatch on BBC2 next week as the Green Meshweb Spider, Nigma walckenaeri, should feature. It will probably be on the Tuesday (25th Oct) show.
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Is it just me, or can you see this cosmic spider too?
"We are like butterflies who flutter for a day and think it is forever"
#CarlSagan
#ThursdayThoughts
#ThursdayWisdom
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@PaulPaul2021
Paul, not a spider but a harvestman. Both are arachnids but harvestmen have 2 eyes (spiders 6-8), they have 1 body segment (spiders 2), they do not produce venom or silk & unlike spiders, they can’t regrow their legs. This is a Forked-palp Harvestman (Dicranopalpus ramosus agg.)
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We occasionally refer to our Factsheets on our website at when discussing false widow or large house spiders, but there are 14 in total and 5 more in production. Want to know how to start studying spiders, about webs or pseudoscorpions? Take a look!
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@Seal0401
@CarlDonnelly
She's one of the so-called false widow species - likely Steatoda grossa (
@mattprince1969
?). They're common right across S England but, if you're worried about the bad press they get, you can get reliable information in our Factsheet 5 at .
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What a way to start the weekend … we have reached 9,000 followers 🥂🍾
Thank you to each and everyone of you for your interest and desire to learn more about our 8-legged friends.
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Seasons greetings to all our lovely followers. We won't be around here much over the next few days but, if you're in party games mood, and you've heard of
#elfonashelf
, how about:
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If you're looking for a general introduction to the many fascinating aspects of spider biology, look no further! Although the title can't possibly be true, here's a really excellent and engaging new read from some of Europe's leading arachnologists - highly recommended:
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Looking at this male, you can see why Walckenaeria acuminata is known as the 'periscope spider!'
@mattprince1969
@matjazgregoric
@Shakiguani
@ecology_digest
@BritishSpiders
@AJCann
@graemelyons
@Tone_Killick
@cofnod
@chriscathrine
Yea, W. acuminata is certainly up there!
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This little jumper is struggling to take its old jumper off!
Pra tentar esquecer de tanta violência e ignorância por alguns segundos. De líderes mundiais cometendo crimes sórdidos, defendendo a barbárie e ainda recebendo apoio.
Uma papa-moscas que ficou com parte do exoesqueleto antigo agarrado depois da troca
📷:Trần Thế Ngọc, Turquia
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Spider of interest - Steatoda albomaculata. This attractive spider is uncommon in the UK with most records from the south and East Anglia. It prefers bare or sparsely vegetated ground and lives on or close to the ground, in depressions in the soil, under stones etc.
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Look out for some EXCITING NEWS from
@BritishSpiders
tomorrow. Something everyone can get involved with during these unsettling times without leaving your homes ... and help contribute to our knowledge of some British spiders!
More around lunchtime tomorrow!
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Happy New Year to all of our followers & welcome to 2021!
Last year had many downsides but, at least in the UK, lockdown gave many people the opportunity to stop, look & learn about the small creatures (inc. spiders) we share planet Earth with ... and that has to be a good thing!
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The diminutive Sputnik Spider and its egg sac found on the underside of a sycamore leaf during the BAS Members’ Weekend in Northumberland today
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Well done
@BBCAutumnwatch
for your feature on wasp spiders. particularly the interesting discussion on the stabilimentum, the zigzag structure that runs down its web.
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Another amazing set of jumping spider eyes!
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With December the 24th rapidly approaching,
@BritishSpiders
would like to wish everybody a fantastic festive period and a very 'spider' Christmas!
#LoveSpiders
#SpiderChristmas
#ArachnidAroundTheChristmasTree
🕷️🕸️🎅🎄
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Well spider tweeps, we are getting very close to 4,000 followers ... can we get there by the end of this week? If you’re interested in spiders, or just curious about the natural world, especially the largely overlooked little creatures, please follow
@BritishSpiders
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I could watch orb weaver spiderlings display this behaviour (evolved to confound predators) all day!
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We should mention that the British Arachnological Society is principally focused on British spiders (& harvestman/pseudoscorpions) but we also want to promote the beauty & wonder of these fascinating animals so tweets such as this will appear on our feed from time to time!
Turreted Wrap-around Spider - Dolophones turrigera
Woy Woy Bay NSW Australia
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Fantastic footage of wolf spider courtship!
Alas his prospective mate doesn't seem to reciprocate his feelings, but at least the chap escapes with his life! To many female spiders, males are just another prey item, so mating is a very risky business for the lads!
I’m guessing this is wolf spider courtship in my garden today. She doesn’t look too keen!
@Tone_Killick
@BritishSpiders
#spiders
#ukspiders
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A reminder that everyone can take part in
#SpotASpider
Just find a few minutes each day for the next 12 days to find a spider in your house, garden or immediate locality and send us a photo with the above hashtag.
#12DaysWild
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#SpiderSeason
always generates a number of hysterical news articles. Let's redress the balance. Sept & Oct are important months for many spider species as they seek out mates and make provision for the next generation. They are no more 'sex-starved' than any other animal.
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A super little video starring a number of different invertebrates including Amaurobius ferox, the black lace weaver.
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.
@TheSun
, do you really not think your readers deserve better than your 'spider invasion' article of 12th September? Arachnophobia ruins lives. There's plenty of real expertise available on so-called false widow spiders if you'd prefer to publish something factual.
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Yesterday, we were awarded the Best Stand (Conservation)
@TheBirdfair
Today, the organisers have awarded us “Best in Show” ... a fantastic achievement but richly deserved by our team of volunteers. If you are at the show, do come along and say hello.
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New to science, this amazing araneid from India - a much better ladybird impressionist than Eresus!
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An impressive number of harvestmen ... aka daddy long-legs
Disclaimer: This isn’t a furry building — it’s hundreds of daddy longlegs.
Have a nice day.
📸: Harvestmen, or daddy longlegs, at
@GlacierBayNPS
that want to be your friend...or possibly carry you off into the woods...have a good one!
#HappyHalloween
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This is the correct way to react when encountering a spider.
#FactsNotFear
#LoveSpiders
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Not a view that one often gets of a harvestman! Those palps look remarkably like the claws of a crab!
#Arachtober
Day 15: Fork-palped harvestman (Dicranopalpus ramosus).
This photo shows off their fabulous chelicerae! Unlike spiders (Araneae), where these are adapted as articulated fangs, harvestmen (Opiliones) have little pincers on the end of theirs!
(This was very tickly.)
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Superb photograph of this common and widespread (at least in England and Wales) jumping spider ... astonished that it’s a hand-held photo stack too!
This has to be the Frank Sinatra of the jumping spider world (Evarcha falcata)!
You can sense the tiny size as it's clasped around a piece of last years grass!
Photographed today (25/3/19) @ Skipwith Common.
Handheld stacked image of 30 shots in natural light hence the eyes!
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Worth remembering that, in the UK, we have no spider species capable of causing real harm to humans. Needless fear is a dangerous thing. There is NO NEED TO FEAR SPIDERS!
#LoveSpiders
🕷️🕸️
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Ant-mimicking spider taking it to extremes!
Such a long pedicel!
Myrmarachne leptosoma pair from Jambi, Indonesia
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Even UK spiders can look distinctly weird
🎃 Happy Halloween, from the Charnwood Spider!
🕷️ Charnwood Forest is one of the only places in the UK that you can find the spider Mastigusa macrophthalma. Unsurprisingly, it's also known as the Charnwood Spider!
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Some spiders have pretty well developed visual capability!
Spiders reaction when it seed it self in the mirror🕷
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Read all about it - we've just added six new Factsheets to the 11 already available at - Flower Crab Spider, Laceweb spiders, Money spiders, Nurseryweb Spider, Purseweb Spider and Woodlouse spiders. Huge thanks to all those who generously donated images.
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At some point all my photos got stripped from their folders & subfolders, leaving a big mess. Then I find something like this and it makes me beam 😁🕷 Pretty sure from Inverness-shire so would be Dolomedes fimbriatus ❤️
@WaveneyCott
@Tone_Killick
@ChrisCathrine
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A HAPPY NEW YEAR to all our followers!
Let's make 2019 a great year for spidering (and for spiders).
#HappyNewYear2019
#LoveSpiders
#NewYearsDay
🕷️🎇
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If big spiders are what get you excited then you might enjoy reading this article -
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We also cover harvestmen too and it's peak season! Opiliones are more numerous at harvest time which is where they get their name. There are around 30 species in the UK.
Please do show us your sightings and send in your records!
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Wear your raindrop with pride…
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There is a long tradition of arachnids in Transformers, starting with Scorponok in 1986.
Recently things became interesting by accident, with a male character (Tarantulas) turning in to a female spider in comics, and a female character (Blackarachnia) into a male spider in toys!
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#FridayMotivation
: Another working week comes to a close and it seems an opportune time to share wise words from the pen of E. B. White. The spider pictured below is a male of the wonderful green crab spider (Diaea dorsata).
#LoveSpiders
🕷️
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Beautiful and Nationally Scarce Arctosa cinerea, the Northern Bear Spider, is one of GB's largest spiders and a river shingle specialist. Always a treat to see!
@CalConLtd
@BritishSpiders
- please can I ask for help to ID this excellent character found on river shingle in south Scotland please?
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