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Distribution
Widely distributed and common in the
county.
Habitat and Ecology
The species is common in grassland,
scrub, woodland and marsh habitats.
Sankey (1988) and Hillyard & Sankey
(1989) note a preference for woodland
ground or field layers and its habit of
ascending low branches of tree trunks and
bushes.
Adults have been recorded in the late
summer and autumn period from August-
November.
Threats
Not threatened.
Oligolophus hanseni (Kraepelin)
National status Local County status Essex Rare Threat status Essex Endangered
Frequency Ratio 1.0 Tetrad Percentage 0.1 Tetrad Frequency 0.3 Monad Frequency 0.2
Distribution
Apparently very rare in the county, with
only one post-1980 record from Thundersley
Great Common made by the author in
August 1988.
The species was recorded in 1970-1971
by P.V. Hicks using pitfall traps at
Fingringhoe Wick, High Grove (St. Osyth)
and Clacton-on-Sea.
Habitat and Ecology
At Thundersley Great Common the
Harvestman was found in grass/heather litter
adjacent to mature gorse scrub and the
Clacton-on-Sea records were from a garden.
Sankey (1988) and Hillyard & Sankey
(1989) note that the species is commoner in
the north, adults occurring on the branches
of trees and bushes with a preference for
Scots pine.
Essex records are for adults in August,
October and November.
Threats
The only known post-1980 site has statutory protection as an SSSI but is vulnerable to
amenity pressures.
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 16 (1999)