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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social Feels like the start of Autumn - Linyphiidae season. A nice Small-horned Walckenaer (Walckenaeria corniculans) from the weekend, to start things off

Image shows the head detail of a small yellow-brown Money Spider, in close-up. The spider has a small horn at the tip of its cephalothorax that has a tuft of hairs protruding

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk A quick stop-off in Wales, to find a spider that I've yet to see in England. It always surprises me just how well such a big spider can 'hide in plain sight' on bare stone Arctosa cinerea is always a sight to behold

A large spider camouflaged amongst stones revealed by reduced water levels on the river

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Unfortunately Metopobactrus prominulus has the least interesting profile of the genus, and didn't really want his photo taken

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

I got a bit side-tracked, but here are a quartet: Walckenaeria cucullata, Hypomma bituberculatum, Thyreostenius biovatus and Walckenaeria corniculans

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

@britishspiders.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk @tylanberry.bsky.social More spiders on the move. Enoplognatha mordax, moving inland from the coast, a first for me and maybe VC24 too. Meanwhile, Theridion pinastri and Macaroeris are busy establishing themselves in the south of the county

Enoplognatha mordax, a medium-sized Comb-footed Spider

Theridion pinastri, a small Comb-footed Spider

A male Macaroeris nidicolens, a medium-sized Jumping Spider

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 01/05/2026

@britishspiders.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk @tylanberry.bsky.social Philodromus buxi is slowly spreading outwards from London. This, an adult male, is the first time I've seen it in my Buckinghamshire garden

Running Crab Spider with long and conspicuously striped legs, sitting on a painted metal surface

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social A spider that's neither rare nor particularly scarce. It has, however, taken me an awful long time and many fruitless searches to finally find Pachygnatha listeri

A small spider with a pitted orange cephalothorax in the family Tetragnathidae - Pachygnatha listeri, Lister's Thick-jaw

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 10/01/2026

@britishspiders.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social Looking for help with identifying this 1.5mm Liny, please. Found in a garden centre so might not be on the British list, but I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction

Mystery Linyphiidae found under a plant pot in a UK harden centre. 2-2-2-2 tibial spine count, 1.5mm body length

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

as is Ozyptila brevipes. Ozyptila claveata is probably a first find in Buckinghamshire for 30 years and highlights the great work done in restoring the chalk grassland habitat at Grangelands nature reserve by @bbowt.bsky.social

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 12/12/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social Very happy to still be finding new spiders as we approach the end of the year: Gnaphosa leporina has been high on my wanted list, since Lawrence Bee found it locally during a survey in 2019. Thanatus striatus, is, I believe, a first for Buckinghamshire,

Gnaphosa leporina, a Ground Spider in the family Gnaphosidae

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 07/11/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk Really happy to find this spider (another follow-up of Rowley Snazell's old Bucks records). From a site I'd visited previously, but looking at in a new way, thanks to a tip from @chizz13.bsky.social Walckenaeria dysderoides #spiders

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social Lovely family holiday to Greece (Kos). I managed to find a little time to look for some local arachnids. Amazing diversity in a small place

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social Two spiders that I seem to find if I'm NOT looking for them: Antistea elegans is a spider I've wanted to find on the Bucks section of the R. Chess, having years ago seen Doug Marriott's records for it on the Herts side

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 08/10/2025

My first thought too, but all my specimens of cristatus stand out because, unlike most other Tenuiphantes I see, they are well sclerotised. In Løvbrekke's drawings, the highlighted 'pockets' should be visible. The lobes on cristatus never fill more than half the copulatory opening in my experience

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 27/08/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social Waterside Long-jawed Orb Weavers aren't usually easy to identify in situ. There is one exception: with the extremely wide spacing between its anterior and posterior lateral eyes, Tetragnatha striata is unique amongst the UK species in this genus

Lateral view of spider - Long-jawed Orb Weaver, Tetragnatha striata

Dorsal view of spider - Long-jawed Orb Weaver, Tetragnatha striata

Anterior view of spider - Long-jawed Orb Weaver, Tetragnatha striata

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 15/08/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social I didn't manage a trip up on the Cairngorms plateau, but found some good spiders closer to sea level - Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus), at last, Northern Bear (Arctosa cinerea), Pardosa agricola, Bolyphantes

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social A good start to my Scotland trip, but the weather forecast doesn't look promising. Clubiona subsultans, Dipoena torva (not shown), Cryphoeca silvicola, and a decent supporting cast

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 31/07/2025

Even the best predators sometimes miss their catch. This Tube Web Spider (Segestria florentina) isn't going hungry, though – a prime position under this lamp means plenty of nighttime visitors @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders #ukspiders

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

Snap! Episinus maculipes seems to be quite at home in our homes

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 10/05/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social Not difficult to find in neighbouring Middlesex and Surrey, but only the second time I've found Alopecosa cuneata in Bucks #spiders

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 26/04/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social A pleasure to show @cofnod.org.uk Richard Gallon around a couple of sites in the shire. Sadly no obvious sign of Midia midas, but Walckenaeria corniculans and Mastigusa arietina made sure he didin't leave empty handed

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 20/04/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social Always great to see a spider I've never seen before and really lucky that there's a thriving colony of these not too far from my home. A truly stunning species. Thanks to @snake-spider-et-al.bsky.social for pointing me in the right direction Aelurrilus v-insignitus

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 04/04/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social Just one cornetto, maybe, but how many corniculans am I allowed? Walckenaeria corniculans is on Section 41, species of principal importance list, but appears to be doing very well in Buckinghamshire woodland

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

I'll be checking back later in the year, when Mastigusa should also be present #spiders

Small, brown spider with red legs (Thyreostenius biovatus) running along a piece of dead wood in an ants' nest

Close-up of Thyreostenius biovatus, a small Money Spider (Linyphiidae) that lives in ants' nests

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social An adult female from a very healthy looking population of Thyreostenius biovatus living in a nest of Formica rufa (Southern Wood Ant), in South Buckinghamshire. No males present - they seem to only appear at the end of Spring

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

It's never a bad day when this spider is in your viewfinder Araniella displicata @britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social #spiders

Small red orb weaver, with diamond pattern down its back, on Scots Pine needle

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

Megalepthyphantes sp near collinus in the garden this morning @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 14/02/2025

A memory from last year, randomly selected by my phone. Marpissa muscosa, Fencepost Jumping Spider on Scots Pine. What was in that fissure? @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 10/02/2025

Two of my favourite non-Linyphiidae from my local patch of heathland in South Buckinghamshire - Micaria pulicaria and Asagena phalerata @britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social #spiders #arachnids

Micaria pulicaria, a ground-living spider with iridescent scales on its abdomen

Asagena phalerata, a medium-sized Comb-footed spider

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 08/01/2025

On habitus I'd say A.sturmi. I'd really want a 'top down' view of the apophysis highlighted, rather than this lateral view; the arrangement of the three tips is indicative: evenly spaced - sturmi, two close together - triguttatus

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 02/01/2025

@britishspiders.bsky.social A slow (but steady) start to 2025. Three from my garden on a wet and windy 1st of Jan: Lessertia dentichelis Pholcus phalangioides Amaurobius ferox #spiders

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

@britishspiders.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social Looking at the ridiculously small Maro minutus under my microscope and wondering if anyone knows what is the UK's smallest spider

Ventral image of a tiny, pale spider - Maro minutus

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 02/12/2024

@britishspiders.bsky.social @cofnod.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social Getting December off to a bang! I love finding new spiders and this one is particularly nice. I don't think I was long out of nappies the last time this was found in Bucks Walckenaeria corniculans

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 25/11/2024

A new spider for me, and one not found in Buckinghamshire for 25 years. Worth braving the wind and rain of Storm Bert for. Nationally scarce Saaristoa firma #arachnids #spiders

Saaristoa firma. A nationally scarce spider in the family Linyphiidae

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Some finds from recent garden centre visits. It's exciting to see exotic or nationally scarce species and most of these are confined to the environment they find themselves in and won't establish themselves in the wild, you do have to wonder whether we need increased biosecurity measures #spiders

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Great find. I only managed to find one of these (an immature). In South Bucks. the Scot's Pine is dominated by the smallest of our three species – Salticus zebraneus #arachnids #spiders

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

Another fabulous British spider. Walckenaeria acuminata, a 3.5mm Money Spider, with eyes on a stalk. Many of the males of this genus have strange ocular appendages

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Esmond Brown @chalkspring.bsky.social · 15/11/2024

My first post on here absolutely had to feature a spider. It won't be the last to do so, either. Here's the wonderfully endowed male Mastigusa diversa (previously M.macrophthalma). How he copulates with palps like these, I don't know

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