Lace Webbed Spiders - Amaurobius sp.

    Family - Amaurobiidae
    Genus - Amaurobius
    Tubular, lacy bluish web retreat found within walls or bark, which they
    spin at night. The web extends outwardly from the retreat.
    They are also found under logs, stones and detritus / leaf-litter.
    Females are often eaten by their Spiderlings.

    Brighton
    09.01.12

    Extremely pale Female in her Silk-lined retreat.
    She looks ready to construct her Egg Sac.
    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    01.11.2011

    Male on the Prowl

    Showing his Pedipalps

    Brighton
    01.11.2011

    Extra Mural Cemetery
    Brighton, East Sussex
    25.10.2011

    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    16.08.2011

 
    Male
    Brighton
    12.10.2011

    Downs Crematorium
    Brighton
    04.04.2011

    Male
    Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve
    West Stoke entrance
    West Sussex
    16.02.2011

    Male
    A bathroom dweller...
    3rd one this year.
    25.02.2011

    Juvenile
    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    28.04.2011

    Male
    11/10/2010
    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    ..........
    I went Spider hunting with Graeme Lyons of SWT today,
    we were looking for the Purse Web Spider that I had spotted yesterday
    (http://arachnerds.blogspot.com/2010/10/purse-web-spiders.html).
    We went to the very same flint wall that I had seen him on but he
    wasn't around. However, we did find a few other species.
    This being one that Graeme spotted and positively identified
    under the microscope.

    Amaurobius similis
    Female - 9-12mm / Male - 6-8mm
    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    06/10/2010

    Amaurobius similis ? (Female)
    My back garden, Brighton
    16/05/2010

 
    Female
    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    19/10/2010 

    This one is living in the base of a Traffic Cone.
    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    09.02.2011

    Male Lace Webbed Spider
    Kingley Vale Nature Reserve
    West Sussex
    16.02.2011

 

    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery

    22.03.2011

Wasp Spider - Argiope bruennichi

    Argiope bruennichi
    Family - Araneidae
    Genus - Argiope
    Female - 11-15mm / Male - 4-4.5mm

    Originally, only found near the South Coast, but this species has spread
    inland.
    This one was living by my Parents' pond in their back garden.

  

    Female, with the characteristic zig-zag ribbon running through
    the large Orb Web.
    Gosport, Hampshire
    10/08/2008   

 

    Female. 

    Found in abundance near a group of ponds in East Dorset. 

    Recording and photograph by Trevor Buick.

    27.08.13

Camel Spiders - Solpugids

    Solifugid
    Family - Solifugae
    Also known as Wind Scorpion, Jerrymuglum, Sun Scorpion,
    Sun Spider, False Spider and Child of the Earth Spider
    The name translates as 'those that flee from the sun'
    Not a true Spider. This one was apparently from Egypt -
    according to the pet shop.
    This one pictured, I had the pleasure to get to know for a short while.
    My brother found her in a pet shop. She was very sluggish.
    When my brother very kindly passed her onto me she became
    extremely lively. She had a large appetite for Crickets and Meal Worms.
    Sadly she only lived with me for 3 weeks.
    I posted pictures on Arachnoboards and other, fellow Arachnerds
    helped me sex and age her. It was the general opinion that she had
    obviously starved during transit as she was very thin and was at the end of her life.
    She was very active up until her sad demise.
    She was the most amazing creature I have ever come into contact with.
    She even starred on BBC1's The One Show and is still featured on
    their website in Spider Week - Click Here to see the BBC film.
    At the time, my footage was the only on Youtube of a captive Solifugid
    that wasn't being abused/ pitted against other animals etc., which is why
    they asked to use my footage.
    There are two video's of her on Youtube:  
    Camel Spider - Solifugid and Camel Spider / Solifugid Eats a Meal Worm

 

    01/10/2007  

     

    10/10/2007

    03/10/2007
   
    30/09/2007

 
    16/10/2007 
     

    15/05/2009
    I still have her preserved although her abdomen has diminished somewhat.

Running Crab Spiders - Philodrominae

    Family -  Thomisidae

    Subfamily - Philodrominae

    These Spiders don't make webs but hunt on the run or

    lie in wait to grab passing prey. Fast and agile.

    Male
    Hove
    24.05.12

    Hiding!

    Extra Mural Cemetery, Brighton
    17.04.12

    Lying in wait
    Brighton
    22.04.12

    Male
    Extra Mural Cemetery, Brighton
    30.04.12

    Juvenile Male with prey
    Extra Mural Cemetery, Brighton
    30.04.12

    Extra Mural Cemetery

    Brighton, East Sussex

    25.10.2011

    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery

    03.08.2011

    Philodromus Dispar (Female)

    Guarding her Eggs.

    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery

    09.07.2011

    Juvenile.

    Hove

    10.05.2011

    Philodromus aureolus (?)
    On an old fence, edge of Friston Forest, near Jevington,
    East Sussex
    10.06.2011

    Philodromus Dispar (Male)

    Found this one running across my ceiling

    07.05.2011

    Female sporting a Parasite

    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    28.07.2011

   Back Garden, Brighton

   29.04.2011

    Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery

    22.03.2011


   "The spider is an immature Philodromus sp., almost certainly
    P. aureolusor or P. cespitum, but these two are not separable,
    even as adults, without examination under the microscope.
    Both are widespread and common".  
    Ian Dawson (BAS) via Gary Bradley from uksafari.com
    Woodvale Crematorium/ Brighton Extra Mural Cemetery
    Lewes Road, Brighton, East Sussex
    16/06/2010

    Back garden, Brighton
    01/06/2010 

    Amazing chrome-effect look to this one!
    Lullington Heath, East Sussex
    09/06/2010

    Gravid Female
    I think this is a Philodromus (?)

    Cuckmere Haven
    28.07.2010

Pumpkin Spiders

    Araneus trifolium ?
    Family - Araneidae ?
    All the way from California!
    A relative of the U.K.'s Garden/ Cross Spiders Araneus diadematus ?
    These Spiders are commonly seen around Hallowe'en, hence their name
    These photo's were kindly sent to me by Ceridwen Falk and Eryn Hunter

    Photo's by Ceridwen Falk
    Palos Verdes Estates, Los Angeles County, California, USA
    September 2010

    Photo by Eryn Hunter
    Palos Verdes Estates, Los Angeles County, California, USA
    October 2010