Jonathan Bliss
@jonathanbliss.bsky.social
Wildlife watching, birds, bugs, spiders and the rest of the natural world, photography, books, a bit of history, learning French. Leeds.
I’m not sure this advert for @theguardian.com is that effective. It is November, 10 articles a year is 2 a month so arguably I would be paying £6 an article.
I would consider a subscription to a group of international centre left journals including one US, an Australian, a French and a Spanish one
I would consider a subscription to a group of international centre left journals including one US, an Australian, a French and a Spanish one
November 8, 2025 at 10:29 AM
I’m not sure this advert for @theguardian.com is that effective. It is November, 10 articles a year is 2 a month so arguably I would be paying £6 an article.
I would consider a subscription to a group of international centre left journals including one US, an Australian, a French and a Spanish one
I would consider a subscription to a group of international centre left journals including one US, an Australian, a French and a Spanish one
Last day of #Arachtober and I have posted one of my spider pictures every day. I started with a Pardosa sp carrying her spiderlings and I’ll finish with a different one. I have to admit to being particularly pleased with this one from my garden as I managed to get to eye level with her.
October 31, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Last day of #Arachtober and I have posted one of my spider pictures every day. I started with a Pardosa sp carrying her spiderlings and I’ll finish with a different one. I have to admit to being particularly pleased with this one from my garden as I managed to get to eye level with her.
Another predation photo, this is a Flower Crab Spider, Misumena vatia in an evening primrose. Apparently they can change between pink, white and yellow to match the flower they are on, though this takes time. We don’t get them in Leeds yet so I have to go down south to see them. #Arachtober
October 30, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Another predation photo, this is a Flower Crab Spider, Misumena vatia in an evening primrose. Apparently they can change between pink, white and yellow to match the flower they are on, though this takes time. We don’t get them in Leeds yet so I have to go down south to see them. #Arachtober
Just an iPhone shot but this shows just how big a prey a small spider can take. This is an Enoplognatha sp with a large hoverfly, Volucella pellucans I think, on marjoram. #Arachtober.
October 29, 2025 at 10:40 AM
Just an iPhone shot but this shows just how big a prey a small spider can take. This is an Enoplognatha sp with a large hoverfly, Volucella pellucans I think, on marjoram. #Arachtober.
Wolf spider semaphore, I posted earlier in #Arachtober a picture of a male and female
wolf spider where he is trying to get her attention. This is a different image of the male showing the type of position he places his palps. The palps are also used to transfer sperm to the female.
wolf spider where he is trying to get her attention. This is a different image of the male showing the type of position he places his palps. The palps are also used to transfer sperm to the female.
October 28, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Wolf spider semaphore, I posted earlier in #Arachtober a picture of a male and female
wolf spider where he is trying to get her attention. This is a different image of the male showing the type of position he places his palps. The palps are also used to transfer sperm to the female.
wolf spider where he is trying to get her attention. This is a different image of the male showing the type of position he places his palps. The palps are also used to transfer sperm to the female.
This is another bin spider, this time on a green bin. This is a Clubonia sp. Again a tiny little thing and harmless to humans but those jaws are effective. #Arachtober
October 27, 2025 at 10:14 AM
This is another bin spider, this time on a green bin. This is a Clubonia sp. Again a tiny little thing and harmless to humans but those jaws are effective. #Arachtober
We have a brown bin for garden waste. Regularly I have to check the lid for accidentally binned insects and spiders and relocate them. This is a candy striped spider, Enoplognatha ovata or latimana, the two are very similar, with an egg sac. #Arachtober
October 26, 2025 at 9:31 AM
We have a brown bin for garden waste. Regularly I have to check the lid for accidentally binned insects and spiders and relocate them. This is a candy striped spider, Enoplognatha ovata or latimana, the two are very similar, with an egg sac. #Arachtober
Here is a short video of a harvestman on my arm. I picked it up while gardening. Not a spider but still an arachnid, I’m not very good at identifying harvestman but I think this is Opilio canestrinii, a recent invader that has become very common. They are totally harmless to humans. #Arachtober
October 25, 2025 at 7:25 AM
Here is a short video of a harvestman on my arm. I picked it up while gardening. Not a spider but still an arachnid, I’m not very good at identifying harvestman but I think this is Opilio canestrinii, a recent invader that has become very common. They are totally harmless to humans. #Arachtober
Yesterday for #Arachtober I posted a Salticus species Zebra jumping spider today a slightly smaller but beautifully coloured Evarcha falcata. Often not noticed but lovely spiders.
October 24, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Yesterday for #Arachtober I posted a Salticus species Zebra jumping spider today a slightly smaller but beautifully coloured Evarcha falcata. Often not noticed but lovely spiders.
I admit, I have a lot of Zebra spider pictures like this, they are so cute and they often sit and watch you rather than run away. #Arachtober
October 23, 2025 at 8:44 AM
I admit, I have a lot of Zebra spider pictures like this, they are so cute and they often sit and watch you rather than run away. #Arachtober
Another Salticus jumping spider, this one in the garden, I’m not quite sure of the prey here but I’m pretty sure the spiders in my garden are the best kind of pest control. #Arachtober
October 22, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Another Salticus jumping spider, this one in the garden, I’m not quite sure of the prey here but I’m pretty sure the spiders in my garden are the best kind of pest control. #Arachtober
All the better to see you with. This Salticus jumping spider was in my bathroom. You can see how those eyes are adapted for a visual hunter and look at those jaws. Perfectly harmless to humans though, it is a tiny spider. #Arachtober
October 21, 2025 at 9:09 AM
All the better to see you with. This Salticus jumping spider was in my bathroom. You can see how those eyes are adapted for a visual hunter and look at those jaws. Perfectly harmless to humans though, it is a tiny spider. #Arachtober
Another predation photo, Philodromus dispar with a hoverfly prey, it was hunting on the petals of an agapanthus. #Arachtober
October 20, 2025 at 9:28 AM
Another predation photo, Philodromus dispar with a hoverfly prey, it was hunting on the petals of an agapanthus. #Arachtober
Not a spider but a harvestman, which is also an arachnid. It is carrying mites, the orange spots. I took this 11 years ago and I don’t know as much as I should. I don’t have an id for the harvestman or know if the mites are phoretic or parasites.
#Arachtober @megabunus.bsky.social
#Arachtober @megabunus.bsky.social
October 19, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Not a spider but a harvestman, which is also an arachnid. It is carrying mites, the orange spots. I took this 11 years ago and I don’t know as much as I should. I don’t have an id for the harvestman or know if the mites are phoretic or parasites.
#Arachtober @megabunus.bsky.social
#Arachtober @megabunus.bsky.social
I was talking to someone the other day about how beautiful new conkers look. I think this false widow, Steotoda nobilis in my garage has that same lovely brown shine. #Arachtober
October 18, 2025 at 7:27 AM
I was talking to someone the other day about how beautiful new conkers look. I think this false widow, Steotoda nobilis in my garage has that same lovely brown shine. #Arachtober
Earlier in #Arachtober I posted a Pardosa sp with spiderlings, before she carries the babies she carries around an agg sac, like this.
October 17, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Earlier in #Arachtober I posted a Pardosa sp with spiderlings, before she carries the babies she carries around an agg sac, like this.
Yesterday’s was about rescuing a big spider and putting him out, this is about rescuing a much smaller spider from the gardening, this is a Clubonia sp, a sac spider. #Arachtober Fortunately I don’t use my fingerprints for id anymore.
October 16, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Yesterday’s was about rescuing a big spider and putting him out, this is about rescuing a much smaller spider from the gardening, this is a Clubonia sp, a sac spider. #Arachtober Fortunately I don’t use my fingerprints for id anymore.
Generally I don’t like putting house spiders out and am happy to live with them. Unfortunately, occasionally they are too big for my wife to put up with, like this gorgeous fellow, Eratigena sp. Very much a gentle giant. He will be fine, we have a few around. #Arachtober
October 15, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Generally I don’t like putting house spiders out and am happy to live with them. Unfortunately, occasionally they are too big for my wife to put up with, like this gorgeous fellow, Eratigena sp. Very much a gentle giant. He will be fine, we have a few around. #Arachtober
Sometimes a spider turns up in your
kitchen and you have to photograph it before putting it out. This Xysticus sp Crab spider will have been better outside anyway, it certainly won’t do it any harm. #Arachtober
kitchen and you have to photograph it before putting it out. This Xysticus sp Crab spider will have been better outside anyway, it certainly won’t do it any harm. #Arachtober
October 14, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Sometimes a spider turns up in your
kitchen and you have to photograph it before putting it out. This Xysticus sp Crab spider will have been better outside anyway, it certainly won’t do it any harm. #Arachtober
kitchen and you have to photograph it before putting it out. This Xysticus sp Crab spider will have been better outside anyway, it certainly won’t do it any harm. #Arachtober
As I quite like spiders I have bought some spider cufflinks as well. There are from Becka’s Insects although this specific pair isn’t there anymore. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Beck... #Arachtober
October 13, 2025 at 9:00 AM
As I quite like spiders I have bought some spider cufflinks as well. There are from Becka’s Insects although this specific pair isn’t there anymore. www.etsy.com/uk/shop/Beck... #Arachtober
Date night. Male wolf spiders like this Pardosa sp attract females by waving their palps (adult male spiders have these enlarged palps - “boxing gloves”) in a kind of semaphore. If they get it right they get to mate. This one has her attention. #Arachtober
October 12, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Date night. Male wolf spiders like this Pardosa sp attract females by waving their palps (adult male spiders have these enlarged palps - “boxing gloves”) in a kind of semaphore. If they get it right they get to mate. This one has her attention. #Arachtober
Yesterday I posted a male nursery web spider, today a female. Pisuara mirabilis. These are lovely spiders and I often seem them in gardens where there is a little bit of wild space. #Arachtober
October 11, 2025 at 7:07 AM
Yesterday I posted a male nursery web spider, today a female. Pisuara mirabilis. These are lovely spiders and I often seem them in gardens where there is a little bit of wild space. #Arachtober
This is a nursery web spider, Pisaura mirabilis. They build a we in bushes or low grass and the mother guards the babies for the first few days of their lives. This one is a male though and despire the cream stripe is well camouflaged. #Arachtober
October 10, 2025 at 9:11 AM
This is a nursery web spider, Pisaura mirabilis. They build a we in bushes or low grass and the mother guards the babies for the first few days of their lives. This one is a male though and despire the cream stripe is well camouflaged. #Arachtober
She looks like she will be a mini version of my step-daughter’s Luna. (SpringerPoo or Sproodle or something like that)
October 9, 2025 at 12:56 PM
She looks like she will be a mini version of my step-daughter’s Luna. (SpringerPoo or Sproodle or something like that)
#Arachtober A long jawed orb weaver, Tetragnatha sp. These spiders often settle like this looking very long when they have been disturbed.
October 9, 2025 at 8:45 AM
#Arachtober A long jawed orb weaver, Tetragnatha sp. These spiders often settle like this looking very long when they have been disturbed.