Esmond Brown
@chalkspring.bsky.social
Gentleman, scholar and sometime acrobat. Foodie, chef, rugby player, birder, diplomat, drinker of fine malt whisky and gin. Your friendly neighbourhood spiderman – if your neighbourhood is The Chilterns, South Buckinghamshire or the Scottish Highlands
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk Really happy to find this spider (another follow-up of Rowley Snazell's old Bucks records). From a site I'd visited previously, but looking at in a new way, thanks to a tip from @chizz13.bsky.social
Walckenaeria dysderoides #spiders
Walckenaeria dysderoides #spiders
November 7, 2025 at 7:12 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk Really happy to find this spider (another follow-up of Rowley Snazell's old Bucks records). From a site I'd visited previously, but looking at in a new way, thanks to a tip from @chizz13.bsky.social
Walckenaeria dysderoides #spiders
Walckenaeria dysderoides #spiders
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social
Lovely family holiday to Greece (Kos). I managed to find a little time to look for some local arachnids. Amazing diversity in a small place
Lovely family holiday to Greece (Kos). I managed to find a little time to look for some local arachnids. Amazing diversity in a small place
November 3, 2025 at 12:42 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social
Lovely family holiday to Greece (Kos). I managed to find a little time to look for some local arachnids. Amazing diversity in a small place
Lovely family holiday to Greece (Kos). I managed to find a little time to look for some local arachnids. Amazing diversity in a small place
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social
Two spiders that I seem to find if I'm NOT looking for them:
Antistea elegans is a spider I've wanted to find on the Bucks section of the R. Chess, having years ago seen Doug Marriott's records for it on the Herts side
Two spiders that I seem to find if I'm NOT looking for them:
Antistea elegans is a spider I've wanted to find on the Bucks section of the R. Chess, having years ago seen Doug Marriott's records for it on the Herts side
October 8, 2025 at 3:08 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social
Two spiders that I seem to find if I'm NOT looking for them:
Antistea elegans is a spider I've wanted to find on the Bucks section of the R. Chess, having years ago seen Doug Marriott's records for it on the Herts side
Two spiders that I seem to find if I'm NOT looking for them:
Antistea elegans is a spider I've wanted to find on the Bucks section of the R. Chess, having years ago seen Doug Marriott's records for it on the Herts side
My first thought too, but all my specimens of cristatus stand out because, unlike most other Tenuiphantes I see, they are well sclerotised. In Løvbrekke's drawings, the highlighted 'pockets' should be visible. The lobes on cristatus never fill more than half the copulatory opening in my experience
October 8, 2025 at 2:10 PM
My first thought too, but all my specimens of cristatus stand out because, unlike most other Tenuiphantes I see, they are well sclerotised. In Løvbrekke's drawings, the highlighted 'pockets' should be visible. The lobes on cristatus never fill more than half the copulatory opening in my experience
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social
Me: I don't have a favourite UK spider
Also me: 😍
#Arachtober
Me: I don't have a favourite UK spider
Also me: 😍
#Arachtober
October 4, 2025 at 12:24 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social
Me: I don't have a favourite UK spider
Also me: 😍
#Arachtober
Me: I don't have a favourite UK spider
Also me: 😍
#Arachtober
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk
Great to run into an old friend...
Mastigusa arietina
Great to run into an old friend...
Mastigusa arietina
September 20, 2025 at 10:13 AM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk
Great to run into an old friend...
Mastigusa arietina
Great to run into an old friend...
Mastigusa arietina
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social @cofnod.org.uk
Me, before coffee!
#ukspiders #arachnids
Me, before coffee!
#ukspiders #arachnids
August 29, 2025 at 8:06 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social Waterside Long-jawed Orb Weavers aren't usually easy to identify in situ. There is one exception: with the extremely wide spacing between its anterior and posterior lateral eyes, Tetragnatha striata is unique amongst the UK species in this genus
August 27, 2025 at 6:10 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social Waterside Long-jawed Orb Weavers aren't usually easy to identify in situ. There is one exception: with the extremely wide spacing between its anterior and posterior lateral eyes, Tetragnatha striata is unique amongst the UK species in this genus
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social I didn't manage a trip up on the Cairngorms plateau, but found some good spiders closer to sea level - Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus), at last, Northern Bear (Arctosa cinerea), Pardosa agricola, Bolyphantes
August 15, 2025 at 3:24 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social I didn't manage a trip up on the Cairngorms plateau, but found some good spiders closer to sea level - Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus), at last, Northern Bear (Arctosa cinerea), Pardosa agricola, Bolyphantes
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social A good start to my Scotland trip, but the weather forecast doesn't look promising.
Clubiona subsultans, Dipoena torva (not shown), Cryphoeca silvicola, and a decent supporting cast
Clubiona subsultans, Dipoena torva (not shown), Cryphoeca silvicola, and a decent supporting cast
August 6, 2025 at 8:33 AM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @graemelyons.bsky.social A good start to my Scotland trip, but the weather forecast doesn't look promising.
Clubiona subsultans, Dipoena torva (not shown), Cryphoeca silvicola, and a decent supporting cast
Clubiona subsultans, Dipoena torva (not shown), Cryphoeca silvicola, and a decent supporting cast
@britishdragonflies.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social You've got to admire ants. No opponent is too big to challenge #hymenoptera #odonata
August 2, 2025 at 3:31 PM
@britishdragonflies.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social You've got to admire ants. No opponent is too big to challenge #hymenoptera #odonata
Even the best predators sometimes miss their catch. This Tube Web Spider (Segestria florentina) isn't going hungry, though – a prime position under this lamp means plenty of nighttime visitors @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders #ukspiders
July 31, 2025 at 5:11 PM
Even the best predators sometimes miss their catch. This Tube Web Spider (Segestria florentina) isn't going hungry, though – a prime position under this lamp means plenty of nighttime visitors @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders #ukspiders
Snap! Episinus maculipes seems to be quite at home in our homes
July 17, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Snap! Episinus maculipes seems to be quite at home in our homes
@britishspiders.bsky.social Not difficult to find in neighbouring Middlesex and Surrey, but only the second time I've found Alopecosa cuneata in Bucks #spiders
May 10, 2025 at 4:05 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social Not difficult to find in neighbouring Middlesex and Surrey, but only the second time I've found Alopecosa cuneata in Bucks #spiders
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social A pleasure to show @cofnod.org.uk Richard Gallon around a couple of sites in the shire. Sadly no obvious sign of Midia midas, but Walckenaeria corniculans and Mastigusa arietina made sure he didin't leave empty handed
April 25, 2025 at 11:07 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social A pleasure to show @cofnod.org.uk Richard Gallon around a couple of sites in the shire. Sadly no obvious sign of Midia midas, but Walckenaeria corniculans and Mastigusa arietina made sure he didin't leave empty handed
@britishspiders.bsky.social Always great to see a spider I've never seen before and really lucky that there's a thriving colony of these not too far from my home. A truly stunning species. Thanks to @snake-spider-et-al.bsky.social for pointing me in the right direction
Aelurrilus v-insignitus
Aelurrilus v-insignitus
April 20, 2025 at 10:59 AM
@britishspiders.bsky.social Always great to see a spider I've never seen before and really lucky that there's a thriving colony of these not too far from my home. A truly stunning species. Thanks to @snake-spider-et-al.bsky.social for pointing me in the right direction
Aelurrilus v-insignitus
Aelurrilus v-insignitus
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social Just one cornetto, maybe, but how many corniculans am I allowed? Walckenaeria corniculans is on Section 41, species of principal importance list, but appears to be doing very well in Buckinghamshire woodland
April 4, 2025 at 11:57 AM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social Just one cornetto, maybe, but how many corniculans am I allowed? Walckenaeria corniculans is on Section 41, species of principal importance list, but appears to be doing very well in Buckinghamshire woodland
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social An adult female from a very healthy looking population of Thyreostenius biovatus living in a nest of Formica rufa (Southern Wood Ant), in South Buckinghamshire. No males present - they seem to only appear at the end of Spring
March 28, 2025 at 3:59 PM
@britishspiders.bsky.social @tylanberry.bsky.social An adult female from a very healthy looking population of Thyreostenius biovatus living in a nest of Formica rufa (Southern Wood Ant), in South Buckinghamshire. No males present - they seem to only appear at the end of Spring
It's never a bad day when this spider is in your viewfinder
Araniella displicata
@britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social
#spiders
Araniella displicata
@britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social
#spiders
March 5, 2025 at 12:16 PM
It's never a bad day when this spider is in your viewfinder
Araniella displicata
@britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social
#spiders
Araniella displicata
@britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social
#spiders
Megalepthyphantes sp near collinus in the garden this morning @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders
February 22, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Megalepthyphantes sp near collinus in the garden this morning @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders
A memory from last year, randomly selected by my phone. Marpissa muscosa, Fencepost Jumping Spider on Scots Pine. What was in that fissure? @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders
February 14, 2025 at 1:49 PM
A memory from last year, randomly selected by my phone. Marpissa muscosa, Fencepost Jumping Spider on Scots Pine. What was in that fissure? @britishspiders.bsky.social #spiders
Two of my favourite non-Linyphiidae from my local patch of heathland in South Buckinghamshire - Micaria pulicaria and Asagena phalerata
@britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social #spiders #arachnids
@britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social #spiders #arachnids
February 10, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Two of my favourite non-Linyphiidae from my local patch of heathland in South Buckinghamshire - Micaria pulicaria and Asagena phalerata
@britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social #spiders #arachnids
@britishspiders.bsky.social @bucksinvertgroup.bsky.social #spiders #arachnids
On habitus I'd say A.sturmi. I'd really want a 'top down' view of the apophysis highlighted, rather than this lateral view; the arrangement of the three tips is indicative: evenly spaced - sturmi, two close together - triguttatus
January 8, 2025 at 11:46 PM
On habitus I'd say A.sturmi. I'd really want a 'top down' view of the apophysis highlighted, rather than this lateral view; the arrangement of the three tips is indicative: evenly spaced - sturmi, two close together - triguttatus
@britishspiders.bsky.social A slow (but steady) start to 2025. Three from my garden on a wet and windy 1st of Jan:
Lessertia dentichelis
Pholcus phalangioides
Amaurobius ferox
#spiders
Lessertia dentichelis
Pholcus phalangioides
Amaurobius ferox
#spiders
January 2, 2025 at 10:33 AM
@britishspiders.bsky.social A slow (but steady) start to 2025. Three from my garden on a wet and windy 1st of Jan:
Lessertia dentichelis
Pholcus phalangioides
Amaurobius ferox
#spiders
Lessertia dentichelis
Pholcus phalangioides
Amaurobius ferox
#spiders