I am finishing an article on some tropical spiders recorded in Yorkshire based on a collecting foray (with permission) at Leeds City Council's Tropical World. Species recorded included Hasarius adansoni (a salticid), Uloborus plumipes (the 'garden centre' spider) and Steatoda grossa. I have done some research on the internet and past BAS newsletters on previous studies in the UK and Europe, which has provided me with some previous records/ examples of surveys in similar locations and some interesting information. For example, Pickard-Cambridge's 1906 survey of Kew recorded H. adansoni, suggesting that this species has probably been present since the 19th century in the UK.
This post is to ask whether anyone has any other information on surveys that they have undertaken in similar circumstances. I am aware of surveys at the Eden Project (Cornwall) and Dave Nellist noted H. adansoni in Shetland. It would be interesting to provide a list of species (perhaps with a date of first record in the UK if this information is available) not considered native but excluding synanthropic species (e.g. Pholcus phalangioides) for the record.
You can respond via the blog, or direct to me at riwspider@yahoo.co.uk
Many thanks
Richard Wilson