There's other species on the reserve of course. Some with short legs.
Some with long legs.
and some with long long legs.....
You need to get your eye in! We had walked up the stretch of grass verge favoured by the Wasp Spiders and eventually found one - retracing our steps we found fourteen females! Plus a couple of tiny males cowering nearby!
Here's the typical habitat......
Come into my parlour....
Step a little closer.....
The happy couple? Will you take this very large female to be your.......
Erm.... is that the remains of her last 'fling'?? Or....Phew, maybe it's just the remains of her old 'cast' off body as she gets BIGGER? If so, this is the one time the man in her life can mate without too much fear of being eaten - her jaws may not have hardened off enough! Nervous times though!
Ladies, next time you make love with your husband/partner/boyfriend, please resist the urge to consume him afterwards! It just isn't nice and is likely land you in trouble with the law but for these little creatures it's just part of the 'act'.
On a general note, the British Arachnological Society may have to rethink the 'hardiness' status of this particular species. Survival is clearly not in doubt despite getting through the coldest Winter for years and temperatures plummeting to -14'C. This is one tough little spider......
Next stop Llanymynech cliffs and hopes of a butterfly or two and who knows what birds may be lurking?
