Spider with blond mohecan

[Bruce Williams]

Stony Stratford, Bucks.

Just inside entrance of tunnel under A5 near Great Ouse (currently flooding nearby banks).

Help with identification appreciated:



Bruce

[aeshna5]

Nursery-web Spider, Pisaura mirabilis.

[Geoff F]

Holding the first 2 legs together is very typical of this common species. Generally a summer spider but I recently disturbed one while digging in the garden and rescued another that had become trapped in my toilet bowl.

During the summer they can frequently be found guarding their young which are enveloped in a 'silken tent' hence their common name.

[Wild-Woman]

Agree with aeshna5. They like sun-bathing on plant leaves low down and run for cover if you get too close.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Agree with aeshna5. They like sun-bathing on plant leaves low down and run for cover if you get too close.

I often see them in numbers in nettle beds where they can be seen sun bathing.

[Bruce Williams]

Aeshna, Geoff and Jules - Thanks everyone for your help with id and for the extra information on habitat and behaviour.

I was wondering if perhaps this spider had been disturbed by the local flooding and taken refuge in the tunnel - what do you think?

Bruce

[Geoff F]

Most of the few outdoor spiders which are alive at this time of the year tend to find somewhere sheltered and out of the rain/wind.

Having said that, I saw a rather small spider with a fresh web in my garden today; but even that was beside a hedge. Not completely sure of ID as I couldn't see the topside but probably a young Meta species or a very early Araneus diadematus.

The few other Meta sp. spiders are in the greenhouse or, if outside, they are partially sheltered in the window recesses.

[Bruce Williams]

Geoff - Yes that makes sense.

There are an unusually large number of spiders on the flooded fence at the moment and most are VERY nervous, disappearing into a crack or behind the fence-rail before I even get a chance to raise my camera.

Bruce