• Saving a fen-tastic spider

  • Sep 10 2024
  • Length: 48 mins
  • Podcast

Saving a fen-tastic spider

  • Summary

  • One of the UK's rarest spiders is coming back from the brink of extinction thanks to a brilliant conservation effort.

    Large, scarce, and undeniably striking, the fen raft spider is one of only three British spider species on the Red List and vulnerable to extinction.

    But there is good news! A dedicated collaboration of organisations has been working hard to restore our valuable fen habitats and the raft spiders that rely so heavily on them, and the results are promising.

    So, grab a coffee, sit back, and join us as we explore the incredible world of the fen raft spider. We uncover fascinating facts about their water-based lifestyle, from running across the surface to diving beneath it, and take a closer look at the conservation success story that’s giving these spiders a fighting chance for survival.

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    Timestamps:

    00:00:00 Intro & catchup

    00:07:02 All about raft spiders

    00:23:38 Habitat decline & the importance of fens

    00:31:47 Conservation & good news

    00:45:48 Wrap up

    Links:

    https://www.dolomedes.org.uk/biology/life_history

    https://www.buglife.org.uk/bugs/bug-directory/fen-raft-spider/

    https://www.suffolkwildlifetrust.org/blog/suffolk-wildlife-trust/10-facts-about-fen-raft-spiders#:~:text=Fen raft

    https://www.britishwildlife.com/article/article-volume-32-number-2-page-98-109/

    https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320700000306

    https://www.wwt.org.uk/discover-wetlands/wetlands/fens/

    Raft spiders (britishspiders.org.uk)

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