Sep 10 2024 47 mins
One of the UK's rarest spiders is coming back from the brink of extinction thanks to a brilliant conservation effort.
Large, scarce, and undeniably striking, the fen raft spider is one of only three British spider species on the Red List and vulnerable to extinction.
But there is good news! A dedicated collaboration of organisations has been working hard to restore our valuable fen habitats and the raft spiders that rely so heavily on them, and the results are promising.
So, grab a coffee, sit back, and join us as we explore the incredible world of the fen raft spider. We uncover fascinating facts about their water-based lifestyle, from running across the surface to diving beneath it, and take a closer look at the conservation success story that’s giving these spiders a fighting chance for survival.
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Timestamps:
00:00:00 Intro & catchup
00:07:02 All about raft spiders
00:23:38 Habitat decline & the importance of fens
00:31:47 Conservation & good news
00:45:48 Wrap up
Links:
https://www.dolomedes.org.uk/biology/life_history
https://www.buglife.org.uk/bugs/bug-directory/fen-raft-spider/
https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/blog/suffolk-wildlife-trust/10-facts-about-fen-raft-spiders#:~:text=Fen raft
https://www.britishwildlife.com/article/article-volume-32-number-2-page-98-109/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320700000306