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The Essex Naturalist
this site, the species is extremely localised in the county. Euophrys lanigera was
found at Harlow in 1996 by David Carr. This spider is probably still under-
recorded in the county but is nevertheless rather uncommon. David Carr found
another local species Euophrys aequipes was found at Newney Green and 1 found
the species at Gravelpit Farm Pits in Thurrock. This very small species is
associated with sparsely vegetated habitats where it may be found jumping
amongst tiny plants. Sitticus pubescens is another local jumping spider usually
found on old walls and outbuildings. It was recorded by Ray Ruffell at Colchester
on 3rd June 1996 and by David Carr at Little Easton on 22nd June 1996, Good
Easter on 1st June and Aubrey Buxton N.R. on 7th June 1997.
Wolf spiders (Family Lycosidae)
A single male and female of the Nationally Scarce (Notable B) Pardosa agrestis
were taken at West Thurrock PFA lagoons during August and September 1996
and at Goshams Farm between Tilbury and East Tilbury in June 1997. The
species always seems to be associated with habitats where there is a good
proportion of bare or sparsely vegetated ground. Ray Ruffell found the
Nationally Scarce Xerolycosa nemoralis at Iron Latch Lane between June and
August 1996, the first record for North Essex and it was found again at Hadleigh
Great Wood where a small area of heather is now becoming very overgrown.
This is another species that favours bare ground, particularly open heathy areas
in woodland where the spiders have excellent camouflage as they run over the
litter and pieces of dry bark left after coppicing. Arctosa leopardus is extremely
rare in the county, with an old record for Colne Point but it was still present in
numbers at West Thurrock in August 1996 where it was first recorded on the
Saltmarsh at Stone Ness in 1988. The only other Essex record is for a single
female from Glemsford Pits in June 1992.
Pirate spiders (Family Mimetidae)
Two females of the Nationally Scarce Ero tuberculata were found by Ray Ruffell
in his garden at Stanway on 15th September and 15th October 1996. One was
taken off a tree trunk and the other from a hedge. Other records have been from
gorse growing at relic heathland sites.
Comb-footed spiders (Family Theridiidae)
The Nationally Scarce (Notable B) Achaearanea simulans seems particularly
common in Essex, with many records from scrub habitats across the county.
David Carr and myself have recorded the species this year at Aubrey Buxton
N.R., Good Easter in North Essex and Epping Thicks and Shoebury Old Ranges
in South Essex. The visit to Aubrey Buxton N.R. on 7th June 1997 also resulted
in records for two more rare spiders, the Nationally Scarce (Notable B) Theridion
familiare found by David Carr on an old wall and Theridion blackwalli found on
the side of a hut in the reserve. The Nationally Scarce (Notable A) Saltmarsh