Rare spider find weaves a web of great intrigue

Naturalist Jonathan McGowan of Hamilton Road, Bournemouth, was strolling around Haskins Garden Centre at Longham, gazing at the orchids, when he noticed an unusual horizontal web.

He said: "I knew we only had a few species that made horizontal rather than vertical webs, and only in special habitats. On closer inspection I found the little creatures responsible and noticed that they were not native.

"I collected several specimens and took them home and later identified them as 'uloborus plumipes' or 'feather-legged spider' - an African Asian species, reaching into Southern Europe and the Mediterranean islands."

Jonathan, who is deputy curator at Bournemouth Natural Science Society, went back to Haskins and soon had the staff searching through the undergrowth for more.

He said: "They'd always assumed they were normal English spiders.

"I reassured them that they were unique among spiders for not possessing venom glands, so are certainly not poisonous at all.

"They are rather primitive and very beautiful when viewed up close - they look like little twigs or pieces of debris until they move.

"They are only up to six millimetres long so are easily overlooked. Many people would have taken some home with them.

"They may be able to thrive in conservatories or green houses, even outside during the summer. But I'm sure they couldn't survive our winters, so the chances of them becoming established here are very slim."

Jonathan also found evidence of them breeding in Haskins.

Denise Rothwell, general manager at Haskins Ferndown, said: "Jonathan's discovery is interesting because we hardly ever come across spiders which are native to another country. It must have come in on a plant from a supplier.

"The spider is totally harmless and those customers who are not very keen on spiders don't have to worry because it is so tiny you would struggle to see it with the naked eye.''

First published: August 15