The great fox spider, (Alopecosa cursor) known for its nighttime hunting ability, was rediscovered on an MOD site in Surrey after a twenty-seven year absence. It is two inches wide and rather attractive in a creepy way.[photo credit M. Waite]. A member of the wolf-spider family (Lycosidae) , it is equipped with eight eyes that give it 360 degree vision for chasing down prey. Like other arachnids in the family, it does not use a web for trapping its meals. Mike Waite for the Surrey Wildlife Trust walked the training site for two years before finding his quarry in his torch beam. The spider likes open areas for hunting which it found on the site due to human disturbances that keep down shrubs and trees. Waite found several males and one female in sandy patches of ground. President of the British Arachnid Society called the find, “the most exciting thing to happen in wildlife circles for quite some time”.
The great fox spider, discovered in England some 120 years ago, has only been seen a handful of times since then, despite its large size. They operate mostly at night, and their camouflage makes them difficult to spot. In winter they hibernate in silk-lined burrows. Great fox spiders like warmer climates, and is more common on the mainland, particularly the sand dunes of Holland and Denmark. MOD sites are attractive to wildlife because they are protected from human habitation and large enough to support them. The heath land where the spider was rediscovered is managed by the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Trust, recognized as nationally important for populations of rare birds, reptiles and invertibrates. Waite is now conducting nature walks in nearby areas to discover more great fox spiders.
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| credt: M. Waite |