A large brown or grey spider with a leg span of up to 8cm. It chevron marked body maybe an impressive 16mm (incl head). It makes an untidy web with tubular retreat behind furniture or loose skirting, but also under logs and in hollow trees – its original habitat. Can scuttle up to 50cm per second. Zebra spider ( Salticus scenicus) The zebra spider uses its four pairs of large eyes to locate prey and its jumping ability to pounce and capture it. The scientific name, Salticus scenius, means 'theatrical jumper'/Credit: Getty This major identification guide to 450 species of spider is designed for easy use. Each species is described in detail and illustrated in colour, including common colour variants and differences between the sexes. General family features are also described, with information on behaviour and web-making, including a key to spiders’ webs.

A guide to spider families, based on features recognizable in the field, focussing on body shape and other characteristics, as well as separate guides to webs andegg-sacsA complete list of the spiders recorded in Britain, indicating the ease of identification as well as rarity and conservation status Britain’s Spiders – A field guide by Lawrence Bee, Geoff Oxford and Helen Smith is a new book from the excellent WILDGuides stable, published in association with the British Arachnological Society. This book will likely fuel a revolution in spider identification in the UK that I believe is already underway. In this blog I will review the new book, but more than that I want to describe what it offers within the context of how people are learning spider identification and recording skills today.

Some worry that this change may represent a threat to the ongoing development of a vital pool of people with skills in microscopic ID and the collection and curation of spiders. I don’t see it that way; I believe that in the past many people were alienated from spider recording and ID because even introductory courses started at the level of collection, curation and microscopic ID. With a more structured development path and opportunities to make a valuable contribution to spider recording at different levels, including field ID only, we stand to retain more of that early interest. Some of those who start with the intention of only recording spiders in the field may become sufficiently absorbed to move on to collection, curation and microscopic ID. Those who don’t can continue to make a valuable contribution with field ID alone.

Uloboridae

Britain's Spiders is a photographic guide to all 37 of the British families, focussing on spiders that can be identified in the field. Illustrated with a remarkable collection of photographs, it is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, including those new to spider identification. This book pushes the boundaries of field identification for this challenging group by combining information on features that can be seen with the naked eye or a hand lens with additional evidence from webs, egg-sacs, behaviour, phenology, habitats and distributions., Individual accounts cover 395 of Britain's approximately 670 species, with the limitations to field identification clearly explained. As the first photographic field guide to British spiders to be published since 1989, this book fills a major gap in the resources available to everyone with an interest in this fascinating, diverse and important group of animals. * More than 700 stunning photographs * Includes a guide to spider families, based on features recognisable in the field, focussing on body shape and other characteristics, as well as separate guides to webs and egg-sacs * Detailed accounts highlight key identification tips for each genus and species, and include information on status, behaviour and habitats * Features up-to-date distribution maps, and charts showing adult seasonality * Introductory chapters explore the biology of spiders, and where, when and how to find them, including equipment needed in the field * Contains a complete list of the spiders recorded in Britain, indicating the ease of identification as well as rarity and conservation status * Provides information on how to record spiders and make your records count, and guidance on how to take your interest further Bee L., Oxford, G. & Smith, H. 2020. Britain’s spiders (2 nd edn). WILDGuides. Princeton: Princeton University Press. A guide to all 38 of the British families, focusing on spiders that can be identified in the field. Illustrated with a remarkable collection of photographs, it is designed to be accessible to a wide audience, including those new to spider identification. This book combines information on features that can be seen with the naked eye or a hand lens with additional evidence from webs, egg-sacs, behaviour, phenology, habitats and distributions. Individual accounts cover 404 species - all of Britain’s ‘macro’ spiders and the larger money spiders, with the limitations to field identification clearly explained.