Yet another Spider ID

[Fourwings]

Can anyone help me with this one, its got me beaten
It was around 15 - 20mm, living in a brick pile and was quite aggressive when touched

[DivingDave1980]

Do you have any more pics? Preferably one from above showing the positioning of the eyes? It does look like a Lycosid (wolf spider) poss Pirata sp. but these tend to inhabit marshy areas.

Dave.

[Wild-Woman]

I can't be 100% sure but I think you have one of my old buddies there. Segestria florentina or Tube web spider. I don't now how to cross thread you to my original thread but it was posted on 5/3/06 using its scientific name. It is very aggressive and originally from the med.Boddie put a good link in for me then too so you could compare and judge for yourself.
Hope that helps. ww

[DivingDave1980]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I can't be 100% sure but I think you have one of my old buddies there. Segestria florentina or Tube web spider. I don't now how to cross thread you to my original thread but it was posted on 5/3/06 using its scientific name. It is very aggressive and originally from the med.Boddie put a good link in for me then too so you could compare and judge for yourself.
Hope that helps. ww

Could be.... Need to see the eyes! Segestria has six eyes arrangeed in three groups of two. Also looks like it is very close to it's retreat on the picture.

Very interesting spider. Almost like a trapdoor spider without the trapdoor!

Good spot Wild Woman.

Dave

[Fourwings]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

I can't be 100% sure but I think you have one of my old buddies there. Segestria florentina or Tube web spider. Hope that helps. ww

Thanks Wild woman & Dave - unfortunately this was the only image I got, but I did have a good look at the brute and the eyes were arranged in two lines of six.
Seeing as it is living in a large brick pile in our field I will try to photograph it again, I did try to get really close and was taken by suprise by the
amount of aggression that it showed towards me.
I've had a look at the other thread and the links plus I've consulted the spider book again and I am now certain that it is Segestria florentina.

One final question though - how did one of these impressive brutes end up living in a brick pile in the East Midlands?

[DivingDave1980]

Originally Posted by Fourwings

One final question though - how did one of these impressive brutes end up living in a brick pile in the East Midlands?

According to my book, the distribution is Southern England and Wales, usually near ports.

The book was published in 1995 though and the spider may have extended its range in that time.

What is really interesting is it's association with ports I wonder why? Possibly its route into England from Europe, assuming it isn't indigenous to this country.

Dave.