Spider Group made in the northeast of the county between 1958-61
(Cooke, 1962). The Rev. J. E. Hull (1935, 1947-51) published records
of spiders for Essex made between 1929 and 1947. Although a
respected arachnologist, a number of most unlikely records were
included and many of his most interesting ones have never been
accepted. Some of these have been substantiated in recent years, so it
is tempting to hope that other species may yet still turn up, even
though the habitats found in the county have no doubt changed
substantially.
The vast majority of records have been made since 1980, with the
previous Field Club recorder Kate Hawkins establishing both a firm base
of records and the Essex Spider Group, before she unfortunately had to
leave the county at the end of 1986. A considerable number of new
county records have been added to the county list and there is now a
total of 414 species recorded including a new and as yet unnamed
Oonopid spider found by Ray Ruffell north of Colchester last year.
There are no detailed or modern records for fifteen species.
Most records for 1993 have been made by the dedicated members of
the Essex Spider Group during their field meetings and by the additional
individual efforts of David Carr and Ray Ruffell. I am also grateful for
the records and specimens that I have received from Field Club
members in response to my appeals in the Newsletter and for the
records that I have received from Colin W. Plant of the Passmore
Edwards Museum, Roger Payne of the Southend Museum and Jerry
Bowdrey of the Colchester Museum.
Notable and interesting records made during 1993
Field meetings of the Essex Spider Group this year targeted gaps in the
coverage of the county and we are now very close to our aim of getting
at least 100 species of spider recorded from every 10Km square. In
the course of these meetings we have found some rare spiders.
At an autumn meeting to Broaks Wood (TL7931) in North Essex David
Carr found a female of Porrhomma pallidum (determined by Dr Peter
Merrett). This is our only new county record for spiders this year.
There is awide variety of habitats within this wood which was very
productive during this one visit with other interesting species for
example Hahnia pusilla, which is apparently widespread in woods in the
north of the county but not the south. Broaks wood should produce an
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