10
A NEW RECORD OF THE SPIDER Theridion pinastri IN ESSEX
During an Essex Spider Group meeting to Curtismill Green (GR TL517965) on 24th June
1995 two specimens of Theridion pinastri were collected, a female taken by David Carr
from the low branches of an isolated oak in an area of scrub and then a male taken by
Peter Harvey from another oak near the main block of woodland.
The spider has been found on few occasions in Britain: a male and female at Chobham
Common (Surrey) on two separate occasions in 1977 and 1984, a female at Burnham
Beeches (Bucks.) in 1990, a female at Headley Common (Surrey) in 1991 and then three
males and two females at Leyton Flats and a further male from Lippitts Hill in 1992 both
in Epping Forest (see EFC Newsletter No. 3).
Curtismill Green is an S.S.S.I, comprised of a variety of habitats including deciduous
woodland, unimproved grassland with isolated oaks and areas of hawthorn/blackthorn
scrub, again with isolated oaks on soils derived from London Clay and Chalky Boulder
Clay. There are patches of valley gravel and alluvium locally. The varying soil
conditions give rise to both damp and dry grassland containing several plants which are
uncommon, decreasing or unusual in the county.
In view of the occuiTence of Theridion pinastri at two localities in Epping Forest it is of
interest that Curtismill Green is a small relic of the ancient Forest of Waltham, of which
Epping Forest is the largest surviving fragment.
I am grateful to English Nature for providing some details about the site.
Peter Harvey
CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE NEXT NEWSLETTER
Please send contributions for the next Newsletter, due out at in
November, to the Editor, Mr Peter Harvey, 9 Kent Road, Grays,
RM 17 6DE by the first week of October.
Remember that the production of the Newsletter depends on
contributions from members. I am sure that many members
must have news, observations or the results of fieldwork that
would be of interest to others. If text has been typed on a PC
computer then a disk with the file would be very helpful.