New Spider For London In Mile End Park

New spider for London in Mile End Park

Local spider expert Edward Milner has found a spider new to London in Mile End Park. A male of the tiny money spider Mermessus trilobatus (it doesn't have an English name) turned up in a pitfall trap under the windmill. There are only a handful of British records of the species. It appears to be a recent arrival in Europe from North America, perhaps due to accidental introductions, and is now established in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The photo of Mermessus trilobatus above was taken in North America (copyright Kyron Basu 2012). More images can be seen on the BugGuide website.

Mile End Park has a history of producing rare spiders, with two species new to Britain found here in recent years: the jumping spider Macaroeris nidicolens in 2002 and the buzzing spider Anyphaena sabina in September 2011.