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British Arachnological Society

@britishspiders.bsky.social

2.3K followers 110 following 430 posts

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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Tegwyn @arachnoteg.bsky.social · 18h

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 · 17h

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 · 21h

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 · 20h

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 · 1d

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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webbyjameshere.bsky.social @webbyjameshere.bsky.social · 2d

@britishspiders.bsky.social Any ideas what this little one might be? Living on my windowsill (coincidentally amongst my spider plants) with forays onto the kitchen walls or the washing up from where I have to rescue it 🙈😄 Is it a spiderling of something bigger? Still images below. #spider

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 2d

Unfortunately, the video and the still images don’t show details e.g. eye arrangement, habitus, abdominal pattern etc. that we’d need to narrow down the options. It’s not a spiderling but could be an immature.

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John Boorman @johnboorman.bsky.social · 2d

Garden wildlife. 1/2. A couple of Amaurobius similis on the fence last night. I thought one was a male (1st image and top one in the video in 2/2) and the other a female, but that also seems to have palps. I've been advised that that one, and with its back legs moving, is web building.

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John Boorman @johnboorman.bsky.social · 2d

Garden wildlife. Garden spider (Araneus diadematus). @britishspiders.bsky.social #londonwildlife

A spider with grey/brown patterning and white marks resembling a cross, sitting on a leaf, and with one of its back legs touching a strand of its web, and which will alert it to any prey getting trapped.

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Tegwyn @arachnoteg.bsky.social · 2d

A suprise find, plus a new species for me today #Aractober First noticed the distinctive web, exactly as described. Quick look and there they were... Badumna longinqua. Lots of webs in the Barry B&M, guessing another location for S.Wales. @britishspiders.bsky.social @sewbrec.org.uk @cofnod.org.uk

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 2d

@britishspiders.bsky.social Would this be an immature Theridiosoma gemmosum? I'm staying clear of the immatures really, but I seem to recall being shown this by Ty, the shape seems rights and the huge immature palps.

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Ruth Newby @ruthnewby.bsky.social · 2d

Harvestman Odiellus spinosus hanging out in a flower pot with a snail and a woodlouse (not sure of their species)… #hatvestmen @britishspiders.bsky.social

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 3d

Ero cambridgei - a new one to me and the last of the pirate spiders ticked off. New hand gel has arrived - it's so thick, I use just a dab to hold the palp in place and then cover in the glycerin/IMS - it isn't entirely invisible but better than vaseline. Some playing to be done. I have 6 bottles!

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 3d

Wacky unicornis - two from Sundays efforts in the Wicken fens. I can't spell Walckenaeria. Or can I?

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Richard Wilson @ecology-digest.bsky.social · 3d

#Arachtober is a good month to remind folk my book #SpidersAndHarvestmenOfYorkshire by @naturebureau.bsky.social ought to be available to purchase by the end of the month.

It’s not too late to get a pre-publication offer here: www.naturebureau.co.uk/spiders-harv...

@britishspiders.bsky.social

Spiders & Harvestmen of Yorkshire – An Atlas naturebureau.co.uk

NatureBureau - one company, two passions. NatureBureau is a design and ecological consultancy, established more than 30 years ago. We combine ecological expertise with a distinctive style in graphic d...

www.naturebureau.co.uk

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 3d

Another from Wicken - these appear to have the same epigyne, but I think maybe they aren't yet mature females. I'm sure @tylanberry.bsky.social told me what they were but I can't recall. I'm wondering @britishspiders.bsky.social do the Tm ratios and spines work for immature linnys?

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John Boorman @johnboorman.bsky.social · 4d

Garden wildlife. 1/3. @britishspiders.bsky.social Some other spiders and a harvestman from last night on the shed, house and fence. First a couple of Anyphaena numidas, followed by a Zygiella x-notata, then two Steatoda nobilis seemingly being quite friendly

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John Boorman @johnboorman.bsky.social · 4d

Garden wildlife. 1/3. Last night I found 10 Segestria florentinas! They are still all relatively close together, and 3 were in an area I'd not noticed or properly checked before on one side of the garage door frame.

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Andrew Douglas @andydouglas1967.bsky.social · 4d

Clubiona subtilis palp. Yes, it's a funny angle but my home made gel isn't working so I've ordered some new (recommended) stuff. Had a fabulous time on the @britishspiders.bsky.social field weekend, but most of what I bought home is immature, so i'm not going to provide much to the list.

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

Lovely autumnal colours, there Andy! Your list contributions are coming on well, thank you - look forward to the remainder once you've ID'd them. Great to have you with us this w/e.

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Tegwyn @arachnoteg.bsky.social · 4d

Another Harvestman for today's #Aractober. This time Dicranopalpus cf ramosus with it's distinctive forked palps and resting leg position. If you want to find out more info visit harvestmen.fscbiodiversity.uk

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April Peters @plantjunkie2.bsky.social · 5d

Teaching him that's spiders are beautiful. Sharing a book with grandad 📖🕷️

#Shropshire #UKnature #UKwildlife #wildlivesmatter @britishspiders.bsky.social #Spiders #books #sundaysleepover

Showing our little man that spiders are nothing to be scared of. Britain's Spiders . A Field Guide.
Reading with grandad.

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Shreyas Kuchibhotla @snake-spider-et-al.bsky.social · 5d

D is for Dysdera (Dysderidae), the iconic woodlouse spiders
and E for Euryopis (Theridiidae) - master ant-hunters

@britishspiders.bsky.social

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Shreyas Kuchibhotla @snake-spider-et-al.bsky.social · 5d

Don't know if I'll have time for a daily #arachtober find this year, so I'll go with an A-Z of genera instead.

A for Amyciaea (Thomisidae), an ant-mimic
B for Bijoaraneus (Araneidae) - 'kidney garden spider'
C for Corinnomma (Corinnidae), another ant-mimic

@britishspiders.bsky.social

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Tegwyn @arachnoteg.bsky.social · 6d

#Aractober. Today it's a harvestman, L.blackwalli (correct me if wrong pls) Only about 30 species in the UK. One fused body part, many have long thing legs, 2 eyes and no silk.

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