Huge spider thought extinct in Britain discovered on MoD training site

One of Britain’s largest spiders has been discovered on a Ministry of Defence training ground in Surrey having not been seen in the country for 21 years. The great fox-spider is a night-time hunter, known for its speed and agility, as well as its eight black eyes which give it wraparound vision. The critically endangered spider was thought to be extinct in Britain after last being spotted in 1999 in Dorset’s Morden Bog. The arachnid, two inches wide (5cm) including legs, had previously also been spotted at another Dorset site, and on Hankley Common in Surrey. These are the only three areas in Britain, all in the comparatively warmer south, where it has been recorded. Mike Waite from Surrey Wildlife Trust discovered the elusive spider after two years of trawling around after dark looking for it on the Surrey military site , which the MoD is not naming for security reasons. “As soon as my torch fell on it I knew what it was. I was elated. With coronavirus there have been lots of ups and downs this year, and I also turned 60, so it was a good celebration of that. It’s a gorgeous spider, if you’re into […]

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