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Definitely Salticus scenicus and a juvenile.

Location ML8 5UH
I think this is a Zebra (Salticus) spider probably scenicus given the location on a house window and from the distribution maps although in appearance it looks more like zebraneus however unlikely. Would you agree on Salticus scenicus
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Mon 16th August 2021 by Richard Nasmyth Mitopus Morio Strange colouration Copyright: Richard Nasmyth

"Is this Mitopus Morio? I cant find any records of it with this colouration. Found 3000 ft up in the Scottish highlands."

This certainly is Mitopus morio, they do vary considerably in colouration and patterning. This also appears to be a female as she has a larger and more oval-shaped body compared to the males. Thanks for your enquiry and please do get in touch with any queries on hrs@britishspiders.org.uk.

Hi Geoff Still no luck with finding the spiders again unfortunately.It was suggested to me that they look like ---Labulla thoracica , and i think they do , apart from the colour , i wondered what you think .

Grid Ref:SU407058 Date found: 17/08/2021 Time: 13:46

Situated in the deciduous forest at Dibden Inclosure. Spider was very small, a leg-span of no more than a centimeter, if that if I recall correctly. I'm almost at full zoom on the macro. He was perfectly disguised on the beech tree, and sitting in a position right where the dappled sunlight fell upon the bark.

This is a juvenile male (bag-like palps with no complex structure), possibly might be a Metellina species, e.g. Metellina merianae (a very variable spider which can have a pattern similar to your photo), or maybe the large linyphiid Megalepthyphantes sp. near collinus which is nowadays widespread in gardens and semi natural habitats in the south-east and increasingly wider afield. It will need an adult under a microscope to be sure.

Dear Paul, certainly a very well-marked, apparently mature, male. I don't think the carapace markings are correct for P. tincta and the abdominal pattern also doesn't feel right. If you are able to send one to me, I can check identify. Please email me at secretary@britishspiders.org.uk and I can provide details. Geoff

I managed to get a slightly better image of this spider with clear abdominal markings , hope this can help with the ID , thank you.

I came across a few of these tiny spiders in an old seat in my garden .They are about 2mm body length with very distinctive striped legs .I wondered if they was Platnikina tincta .Please could you give me help with the ID .

Geoff - thanks you for your response on the raft spider - interesting to know last record was 2003 - certainly an impressive looking spider! Thank you also to the other poster who also provided a different raft spider and photo - very interesting. Pansy

Found on kitchen wall at around 2am. Curled up in a ball when trapped in a beer glass. Released outside.

I am afraid you cannot identify Xysticus from photographs or without microscopical examination of the adult male palp or female epigyne and even then female epigynes can be difficult, especially with old females.

Whilst observing a couple of field digger wasps last week, I noticed this crab spider. It was attempting to climb, unsuccessfully, a south facing, sandy bank at the side of a track. Open heather hill, with bracken, a couple of hundred metres from a pine forest and elevation of 390 metres. My thoughts are Xysticus bifasciatus. Confirmation of identity would be much appreciated. PH20 1BS

Dear Paul, yes, your spider is a Noble False Widow Steatoda nobilis. For more information on this and its relatives in Britain see: https://britishspiders.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-08/False_widow_spider_preview_rev18.pdf Geoff

Is this Mitopus Morio? I cant find any records of it with this colouration. Found 3000 ft up in the Scottish highlands.

Hi,

Found this in our holiday accommodation in Saundersfoot, Wales, and wondered if it's a False Widow.

Found at postcode SA69 9JE on 15/08/2021

In response to the harvestman sighting from 28th July 2021 (Matt Chitty):

This is Odiellus spinosus - a large-bodied and short-legged harvestman with a mostly southern distribution. They are generally spiky with a robust trident and distinctly dark-edged saddle. The saddle ends abruptly, often making a staple-shaped mark towards the back.

I will add the record to the database, many thanks for sharing.

Meg Skinner (recording scheme organiser for Opiliones)

Dear Kevin, your spider is a Mouse spider Scotophaeus blackwalli, which are commonly found in houses as well and outside. They have been known to bite very occasionally. Bites have not been recorded as having any significant medical consequences. Geoff

Hello,

Please can you help me ID this spider and see if we need to seek medical care? This spider bit my daughter. We cannot see any puncture wounds but it did quickly have a raised white area close to the bite itself, followed by a fairly circular red area around it. These coloured, swollen areas receded after approx 30 mins. I have caught the spider (I won’t be killing it; it will be released away from the home in the morning) and can provide other photos of able. It’s hard to get a decent photo but I’m wondering if it is a Tube Web spider.

Seen in GL72BE.

Please let me know if these photos aren’t clear enough and I’ll upload more. Many thanks for your help.

Kevin.

Dear Sarah, a tiny pink spider indoors is highly likely to be Oonops domestica. This is one of the few British spiders with six, rather than eight, eyes. One characteristic to look out for if you see one again is its strange mode of moving. It creeps along very slowly but then has a burst of speed before creeping slowly again. I don't think anyone knows why it does this. They are usually nocturnal and so the best way to look for them is in the dead of night, armed with a torch! Geoff

Dear Emily and Richard, both of your spiders are likely to be Enoplognatha ovata and both are of the plain yellow colour form. The species also has a red-striped form and one with the whole dorsal surface red. There is a very closely related species E. latimana which shares these three genetically determined colour forms and occupies roughly the same sorts of habitat. However, latimana matures slightly later in the year. Both of your photographs are of gravid females, which will lay an egg-sac very soon. Given that we are just into August, the chances are that they are ovata rather than latimana, but only an examination of the genitalia can answer the question with certainty. Geoff

Dear all. Sorry it's not the best quality photo. Tiny red spider crawling up my kitchen wall at lunch time...no idea what it is. I know it's not a clover mite. Thanks

Everything about this spider, which I found under a Buttercup today (3/8/21) with its wrapped bee prey, said Enoplognatha ovata to me except the colour and markings.  I have never before seen one with these violet dots and lines.  It was on the edge of unmowed grassland in Nonsuch Park, Ewell, Surrey.

Am I right or is this something else?

Richard Thomas

Dear Pansy, Yes, a classic Dolomedes fimbriatus from a known locality, where it was last recorded in 2003. However, many thanks for the record, good to know it is still there. This is the scarce Dolomedes species but not the very rare Fen Raft Spider D. plantarius. Geoff

I found this spider on the side of one of my beehives today. Location is Ordinance Survey Reference SU 89228 42415, which is on the edge of Hankley Common in Surrey. The field in which the hives are located is boggy and this was close to a drainage ditch which is almost always wet. This spider was huge - I'd estimate 6 cms. Jet black with a very distinctive cream stripe down each side of the abdomen. I know great raft spiders are extremely rare (hence this query) but this really was such a distinctive spider, and massive! Gave me a bit of a shock! Never seen anything like it before.

Grateful for any help in identifying it - many thanks in advance Pansy SU 89228 42415

Dear Geoff

Thank you for the identification.

Kevin