Family - Pisauridae
Genus - Dolomedes
I've been visiting a small bog / marsh at King's Standing for a
few weeks now, I had a feeling these Spiders were there as it
is the perfect habitat for them. On my third visit I found this.
From it's size and the fact it was in the bog, I figured it was a
Raft Spider Exuviae (Moulted old skin/ Exoskeleton),
so I looked some more. Almost immediately, this beauty
stood out from the opposite bank.
First sighting - took my breath away!
These Spiders fish for a living. When they move across
water their legs act like paddles.
Photo by C. Houghton
Here is a short video demonstrating this paddling effect:
She's full of eggs - gravid.
These Spiders can catch tadpoles and small fish.
They can run across water to catch prey and can even remain
submerged, if threatened, for almost an hour.
Thought to be the largest Spider's in the Europe.
Definately my most exciting find to date. I coudn't stop
shaking with adrenalin. Even felt a bit sick with excitement.
There was two of them. One carrying an Egg Sac.
They're recorded as being 22mm in length but I'd say this one
was bigger than that.
Kings Standing
Ashdown Forest
31.05.2011
Juvenile Dolomedes fimbriatus
Thanks to a conservation volunteer who pointed me in
the direction of a particular marsh/ bog I found this Spider.
The site is managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
He was hiding on a blade of grass.
Old Lodge Nature Reserve
Ashdown Forest
30.06.2011
Subadult Male
Female No.1
Female No.2
Female No.3 With Spiderlings
Spiderlings
Female No.3
Female No.4 With Egg Sac
Exuviae
I sent this to Dolomedes expert Helen Smith for her study to "look at patterns
of genetic variation in fimbriatus in the context of the fragmentation and
isolation of the UK's lowland heathlands".
King's Standing
Ashdown Forest
East Sussex
22.09.2011
Genus - Dolomedes
few weeks now, I had a feeling these Spiders were there as it
is the perfect habitat for them. On my third visit I found this.
From it's size and the fact it was in the bog, I figured it was a
Raft Spider Exuviae (Moulted old skin/ Exoskeleton),
so I looked some more. Almost immediately, this beauty
stood out from the opposite bank.
water their legs act like paddles.
Photo by C. Houghton
Here is a short video demonstrating this paddling effect:
These Spiders can catch tadpoles and small fish.
They can run across water to catch prey and can even remain
submerged, if threatened, for almost an hour.
Definately my most exciting find to date. I coudn't stop
shaking with adrenalin. Even felt a bit sick with excitement.
There was two of them. One carrying an Egg Sac.
They're recorded as being 22mm in length but I'd say this one
was bigger than that.
Kings Standing
Ashdown Forest
31.05.2011
Thanks to a conservation volunteer who pointed me in
the direction of a particular marsh/ bog I found this Spider.
The site is managed by the Sussex Wildlife Trust.
He was hiding on a blade of grass.
Ashdown Forest
30.06.2011
Subadult Male
I sent this to Dolomedes expert Helen Smith for her study to "look at patterns
of genetic variation in fimbriatus in the context of the fragmentation and
isolation of the UK's lowland heathlands".
King's Standing
Ashdown Forest
East Sussex
22.09.2011
