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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Desperate times apparently call for desperate measures: Leiobunum in the plug hole #HarvestmanintheBath @britishspiders.bsky.social

The legs of two Leiobunum sp. under the bath plug, apparently seeking shade and water

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Two GB wetland #spiders feature in the new IUCN global Red List at www.iucnredlist.org. Fen/Great Raft Spider Dolomedes plantarius retains its Vulnerable global status and Argyroneta aquatica Diving Bell/Water Spider newly classifies as Near Threatened. Assessment at doi.org/10.1016/j.bi...

Image of the IUCN Rad List page for Diving Bell Spider at https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/85737177/213955433

Image of the IUCN Red List page for Fen or Great Raft Spider at https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/6790/3136581

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British Arachnological Society @britishspiders.bsky.social · 07/02/2026

Last chance to see? It's the IUCN's Reverse the Red Day when we focus on ensuring that Red Listed Species -those at risk of extinction- have a more secure future. Globally, two GB species are Red Listed (see ALT tags) but many more are Red Listed in a GB context - follow our 🧵... #spiders

The Horrid Ground Weaver Nothophantes horridus is thought to be the only spider endemic to Britain and is considered Critically Endangered both here and globally. It's restricted to limestone areas around Plymouth. Image thanks to John Walters via a Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

The semi-aquatic Fen Raft Spider Dolomedes plantarius, one of our largest spider species, is considered Vulnerable to Extinction both globally and in GB because its already fragmented and scarce habitat is severely threatened by climate change. In GB, the number of sustainable populations has been increased by conservation translocations. Image copyright: Helen Smith

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Alison Fisk @alisonfisk.bsky.social · 06/02/2026

A little bear figurine carved out of amber some 6,000 years ago 🐻❤️ A hole runs through the bear’s torso suggesting it was threaded on a cord, perhaps worn or carried as a protective charm. Found in a peat bog near Słupsk, Poland, in 1887. 📷 National Museum in Szczecin #FindsFriday #Archaeology

Photo by G. Solecki/A. Piętak of a small figurine of a bear carved out of amber between 9600 and 4100 BC. The amber is a deep translucent orange. The display lighting makes it glow in places. The bear's head is carved to show ears, mouth, nostrils and eyes. A hole runs through the bear’s torso, suggesting it was threaded onto a cord. Dimensions: Length 10.2 cm, Height 4.2

It was discovered in Słupsk during peat mining in 1887.

According to the museum catalogue ‘’Shortly after its discovery, the figure underwent conservation work to restore its original appearance as it was covered with a layer of dull patina from the exposure to the minerals contained in the peat. Already at that time, at the end of the 19th century, it was assumed the restoration had gone too far. The figure was stripped entirely of patina, the anatomical features of the animal were emphasised, the eyes and nostrils were sharply drawn, and the amber was carefully polished”.

In 2013, a competition was organised by the Education Department of the National Museum in Szczecin, for children to choose a name for the bear. The winning name was ‘Słupcio’,

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

A male Philodromus Running Crab Spider, looking decidedly sub-adult - one of several unexpected but welcome house guests over #christmas #spiders @britishspiders.bsky.social

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 14/10/2025

'Tis the season to be silly - again @thesun.co.uk, @express.co.uk among others. Last year's quotes, this year's new misinformation: these still extremely rare animals are now thriving in a few restored wetlands but are NOT 'in our homes' #responsiblejournalism @patrickbarkham.bsky.social #Dolomedes

Image of headlines from The Sun, Daily Express and Time Out showing Dolomedes (Raft spider) species and misleading headlines

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

More tiny finds from @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social Redgrave & Lopham Fen: Five-striped Spider Thantaus striatus recorded here for the first time since 1957 and the Nationally Rare and Endangered Jumping spider Attulus [Calositticus] caricis. Photos: Anna Maka. @britishspiders.bsky.social

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Wil J. Heeney @theponker.bsky.social · 05/08/2025

Not even half 9 and I've mapped about 30 clusters of webs, each with at least 4 webs in each cluster. It's going to be a slow day at this rate @britishspiders.bsky.social

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 01/08/2025

A real glitter ball of a spider @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social Redgrave & Lopham Fen today - maxing at just 3mm long, the minute Ray Spider Theridiosoma gemmosum has silvery plates of guanine shining through its cuticle. Photos Anna Maka. @britishspiders.bsky.social

Ray Spider Theridiosoma gemmosum showing its almost spherical abdomen with plates of silvery guanine showing through the cuticle.

A different pattern variant of Ray Spider Theridiosoma gemmosum with more dark pigmentation between areas of silvery guanine on the abdomen.

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

Trickster - sub-adult Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 29/07/2025

A great team out today @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social Carlton Marshes, surveying the still expanding range of the Fen Raft Spider population established there in 2011/12 - and meeting a few other fun species too! @britishspiders.bsky.social

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 11/06/2025

It's the egg-laying season @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social Redgrave & Lopham Fen - three female Fen Raft Spiders Dolomedes plantarius holding their precious egg sacs... and a male hanging around waiting for new opportunities. @britishspiders.bsky.social

Unbanded mum Fen Raft Spider with egg sac

Males Fen Raft Spider with Otter spider Pirata piscatorius retreat below

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

Synema globosum, AKA Napoleon's Hat Spider. A rare import to GB but on the list of potential future colonists, showing its 'muscle' at the wonderful Perchtoldsdorfer Heide reserve, on the outskirts of Vienna. @britishspiders.bsky.social

Synema globosum consuming a bee many times it size.

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

An unexpected and familiar friend among the many treasures @worldwildlife.org Marchegg on the R. March/Morava. Thanks to @jubalbarca.bsky.social for inheriting the spider-spotting eyes!

Raft spider Dolomedes species, likely the globally Vulnerable D. plantarius

The beautiful blue flower of Clematis integrifolia

White Stork's bill-clacking display in this unique tree-nesting colony. Image thanks to James Baillie.

White-tailed Eagle - from one of c. 90 pairs in Austria including 7 in the Marchegg area. Image thanks to James Baillie.

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 05/06/2025

A new species for the greenhouse (and wider patch), Zilla diodia hanging out at the hub of in her fine orbweb and continuing the species' rapid expansion in East Anglia @norfolknats.bsky.social @britishspiders.bsky.social

adult female Zilla diodia at the hub of her web

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Meghan Bartels @meghanbartels.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

"On Wednesday, just days before her wedding, 25-year-old Hassouna was killed in an Israeli airstrike that hit her home in northern Gaza. Ten members of her family, including her pregnant sister, were also killed." www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

theguardian.com

‘If I die, I want a loud death’: Gaza photojournalist killed by Israeli airstrike

Fatima Hassouna, who had been documenting war in Gaza for 18 months and was subject of new documentary, killed along with 10 members of her family

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Aurora @auroracalliope.bsky.social · 19/04/2025

Please share. Data must be preserved.

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bogtrotter2024.bsky.social @bogtrotter2024.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

"However, there is a nervousness around how these reviews will be implemented and that ‘streamling’ regulations becomes code for dumping environmental protections." inews.co.uk/news/inside-...

inews.co.uk

Inside Defra cuts, as 600 jobs face axe and nature sites 'left unchecked for a decade'

Environmental groups say Defra is already struggling to fulfil its legal duties

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Nic Wilson @nicwilson.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

Planning to buy plants over #Easter? Check out the #PeatFree Nurseries List for over 140 #UK growers who don't destroy precious carbon-capturing #peatland habitat by using #peat to grow their plants. Pls let me know if your favourite #nursery isn't listed. Pls repost & let your friends know. Ta 🙏🌱💚

nicwilson.co.uk

Peat Free Nurseries List

The response to the Peat Free Nurseries List has been incredible. It’s fantastic to see such interest in sourcing peat-free plants. Thousands of people have accessed the list which now includ…

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 18/04/2025

The best of 'lawn' grasses, Good Friday Grass (AKA Field Wood-rush Luzula campestris), is right on queue this year. #wildflowerhour

The flowers of Field Wood-rush Luzula campestris

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Lyme Disease UK @lymediseaseuk.bsky.social · 26/03/2025

🕷 It’s Tick Bite Prevention Week! 🕷 ⚠️ Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the northern hemisphere. Help us spread awareness! 💚 Download your social media pack with graphics and images to share: lymediseaseuk.com/2024/02/20/g... #BeTickAware

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 03/04/2025

A very dapper Pirata piscatorius Fishing Otter Spider soaking up the sun while escaping sensory overload from the nagging easterly wind @suffolkwildlife.bsky.social's Redgrave & Lopham Fen today. @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders #arachnids

Pirata piscatorius Fishing Otter Spider, with smart pairs of white spots down the abdomen, catching the sun among sedges at the water's edge.

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Helen Smith @waveneycott.bsky.social · 02/04/2025

Not that I have any bias but, please #spider friends, vote now for this awesome and globally threatened animal to be Invertebrate of the Year 2025 - visit www.theguardian.com/environment/... Anyone can vote, with the poll closing at midday on Friday (4th) #arachnids #arachnology

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Brian Eversham @brianecambs.bsky.social · 23/01/2025

Very sad news. Among my favourite poets, and no-one wrote more clearly about The Burren: At Poll Salach While I was looking for Easter snow on the hills You showed me, like a concentration of violets Or a fragment from some future unimagined sky, A single spring gentian shivering at our feet.

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Nature @nature.com · 08/01/2025

A detailed extinction risk assessment of freshwater fauna, covering more than 23,000 species, reveals that around 24% of the studied species are threatened with extinction. The analysis identifies major threats from pollution, dams, agriculture and invasive species. www.nature.com/articles/s41... 🧪

nature.com

One-quarter of freshwater fauna threatened with extinction - Nature

A global multi-taxon extinction risk assessment of freshwater fauna for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species finds one-quarter of species to be at high risk of extinction.

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Dr. Catherine Scott @cataranea.bsky.social · 09/01/2025

Exciting #Arachnology news! It's been clear for some time that spiders have 'noses' on their legs but we didn't really understand how they smell airborne sex pheromones. Now we do! Gabriele Uhl & colleagues have identified the sensilla responsible: 🕷️🧪 www.uni-greifswald.de/en/universit...

uni-greifswald.de

“Olfaction with legs – spiders use wall-pore sensilla for pheromone detection"

Spiders can smell: they use pore-covered sensilla that are similar to hairs to detect volatile substances. This is the key finding of a study that has been published in the January 2025 issue of the s...

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Vanna Bartlett @vannabartlett.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

A bit of #Harvestman action today - Dicranopalpus larvatus in their only known Norfolk location, Earlham Cemetery in Norwich. Still immature at this time of year but some are now discernable as male (first 2 photos) and female (3rd photo).

A black and white harvestman on the underside of a fallen branch, facing right with legs splayed out to the sides and its forked pedipalps held up in front of its body.

A black and white harvestman on the underside of a fallen branch, facing forwards with legs splayed out to the sides and its forked pedipalps held up in front of its body, almost hiding its eyes which are mounted on either side of a small projection called the ocularium.

A harvestman on the underside of a fallen branch, facing forwards with legs splayed out to the sides and its forked pedipalps held up in front of its body. This one is a sub-adult female and her body is a mottled purplish-brown colour and the ocularium that houses the pair of eyes is black.

A juvenile harvestman on the underside of a fallen branch facing downwards, sitting with its eight legs hunched up around it and its forked pedipalps held up protectively in front of it.

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Tylan Berry @tylanberry.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

Clear skies and all that, let's start here as we mean to go on. Meet Pseudomaro aenigmaticus, a rather rare 1.5mm, subterranean money spider. Not seen in the UK since 1994. Very unexpected at saltmarsh on the Tamar recently. @britishspiders.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social @cofnod.bsky.social

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Jillian 정화 @bugsorbust.bsky.social · 26/11/2024

My first time being part of a published article! Everything about Dolomedes in one place. I wrote the section on parental care. 🕷️ I am very grateful to all of the collaborators on this paper especially Dr. Chrissie Painting and my advisor Eileen. www.frontiersin.org/journals/ara...

frontiersin.org

Frontiers | Dolomedes fishing spider biology: gaps and opportunities for future research

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