excellent list of species and another visit in the early summer period will
definitely be worthwhile.
A handful of specimens of the species of crab spider Philodromus
longipalpis have been found in Britain. The spider has only recently
been recognised as occurringin this country, but David Carr found a
handsome female near Dunmow (TL6021) this year, making three
specimens so far found in Essex. Further finds of two more
Philodromus spiders P. praedatus and P. collinus show both of these
species to be much more widespread than previously thought. A
decade ago Philodromus praedatus was known in Britain from only a
few specimens, but the species is now turning out to be widespread on
oak.
Field meetings have also produced two records of the Jumping Spider
Salticus cingulatus, which although not nationally rare, has no previous
recent records in the county. This year we found it near Sturmer
(TL6944) and near Terling (TL741 5) in both cases on wooden fence
posts covered in a layer of lichen. The nationally notable Salticus
zebraneus occurs on tree trunks and this has also turned up in new
places this year. At Thorndon Park South (TQ6289, TQ6290) it is
quite numerous on the trunks of old Oak and also pine trees. It has
been found in several other new localities this year including Colchester
University Park (TM0224) and Whetmead Nature Reserve (TL8313) at
Witham.
We also found another Jumping Spider, the large impressive Marpissa
muscosa on fence posts near Terling (TL7415, TL7515). The only
recent record had been from Thorndon Park South where it was found
by Roger Payne several years ago (it is still there - I saw a specimen
this year on a pine trunk). There is an old record of the species
occurring on fence palings in the Wanstead area of Epping Forest, but
the spider has never been refound here.
At Sible Hedingham (TL7834), David Carr found Saloca diceros, which
he first recorded for the county only last year at Little Bendysh Wood
(TL6139). A further record was made by Ray Ruff ell from Rowhedge
(TM0221) near Colchester. Males of this little Linyphiid (Money) spider
have the head furnished with a pair of horn-like tufts of hooked bristles.
A visit to Wanstead Park (TQ4187) proved interesting, with a good
variety of species found in a variety of habitats. An area of acid
grassland was of particular interest and turned up a number of
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