Summary for Walckenaeria incisa (Araneae)

previous species | next species

National Distribution

Logged-on? click on dot to query records. Please note our
Terms of Use. Double-click on map to go to region

View time series maps for Walckenaeria incisa

Identification difficulty rating: 4

Name: Walckenaeria incisa

Authority: (O.P.-Cambridge, 1871)

Order: Arachnida: Araneae

Family: Linyphiidae

National Rarity status: NS

IUCN status: LC

Watching Brief: Amber

Records: 123

First Record: 1860

Latest Record: 2022

1992-on hectads: 29

Pre-1992 hectads: 40

Total hectads: 65

Explore Regional Distribution

Please log on and add a note on this species

Missing records?

About this species

Recorded altitude range
3m to 367m

Species text

Distribution
The species is widespread but very scattered and apparently absent from large areas of Britain, with most records from Yorkshire southwards. It has been recorded from north-western Europe as far north as Sweden.

Habitat and ecology
W. incisa is found at ground level in a variety of habitats, e.g. chalk grassland, heathland, pine litter, oak litter. In Leicestershire there have been records over several seasons from pitfall traps set in open ancient woodland on acid soils, with occasional records from heathland and limestone grassland (J. Daws, pers. comm.). Adult males have been collected in January, May, July, October and November, adult females in July and December, so the species may be active throughout the year.

Status
Records are very scattered in a variety of habitats, and few specimens have ever been found, possibly suggesting its principal habitat has not been discovered. There has been an apparent decline, but the small number of records make it difficult to draw valid conclusions about any trend.

Threats
In the past, conversion of heathland and calcareous grassland to agriculture and urban development may have been a factor in the decline of this species but because it occurs in such a wide variety of habitats, the reasons for its overall decline are not at all clear.

Management and conservation
Protect remaining heathland and calcareous grassland sites from loss due to agriculture, forestry and urban development. Until more is known about the ecology and preferred habitat of this species, firm management recommendations are difficult to make.

Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.). References

Adult Season

Adult Season Data (based on 19 records with adult season information)

Habitats

background methodology

Broad Habitat Data (based on 40 records with habitat information)

Broad subhabitat Data (based on 1 records with subhabitat information)

Structural Habitat Data (based on 10 records with structural habitat information)

Habitat Detail and Method (based on 16 records with habitat detail and method information)

Structural habitat by month

Recorded management for locations with Walckenaeria incisa

Recorded substrate and hydrology for locations with Walckenaeria incisa

Images

sorry, no pictures available for this species yet - if you have an image please log on and upload it