Spiders, Harvestmen and Mites  

These are part of the class of creatures known as Arachnids (Arachnidae), and are yet another group of creatures for which I have little real identification skills. And yet, the numbers in the list below continues to grow... As such, although I've added a question-mark to some, there may well be others that are less than certain, but the important thing in this case is that we get an idea of the sort of spiders that we have around here and what they may look like. The list is arranged systematically in Family order, although spiders are presented first, followed by harvestmen and then mites. Except for the large and common Velvet Mite, the mites so far have only been identified by the galls they have caused, thus the link is to a photograph of the gall, not the creature.

In the list, where the genus is believed to be correct, I may have put the species name into brackets. This indicates that there is some uncertainty. Indeed in many cases absolute identification of species may only be made with the aid of a microscope.

Whereas I know that positive identification cannot often be made from photographs, I would greatly appreciate somebody with more expertise pointing out any mistakes - even if we only get a little closer to the truth!

The dates shown under the "Status" column relate to the first records I have for an area.

Name Species Family Status
The Spitting Spider Scytodes thoracica Scytodidae Capel Road house, 09/08/2007
Daddy Long-legs Pholcus phalangiodes Pholcidae Capel Road garden, 15/05/2007
Woodlouse Spider Dysdera crocata Dysderidae Capel Road garden, 23/07/2015
spider Ero cambridgei or furcata ? Mimetidae Capel Road garden, 05/04/2015
spider Ero aphana ? Mimetidae Capel Road garden, 05/04/2015
spider Enoplognatha ovata
Theridiidae Near Alexandra Lake, Wanstead Flats, December 2011; 14/02/2012; Wanstead Park, 19/08/2012; Capel Road garden, 29/09/2013
Rabbit Hutch Spider Steatoda bipunctata Theridiidae Capel Road house, 01/03/2007
spider Steatoda nobilis Theridiidae Capel Road house, possibly on 03/10/2013; 03/06/2017
spider Walkenaeria sp. (antica/alticeps) Linyphiidae Capel Road garden, 13/06/2016
spider Walckenaeria acuminata Linyphiidae Capel Road garden, 13/05/2015
spider Lepthyphantes minutus ? Linyphiidae Capel Road garden, 28/11/2014
a sheet-web spider Linyphia triangularis Linyphiidae Common in gardens etc.
Long-jawed Orb-weaver Tetragnatha extensa
Tetragnathidae City of London Cemetery, 06/05/2009; Capel Road garden, 21/05/2010; Wanstead Park, 25/04/2011
spider Metellina segmentata Tetragnathidae Capel Road garden, 29/09/2013
Garden Spider Araneus diadematus Araneidae Capel Road garden, 03/09/2000; Wanstead Flats, 19/09/2005; Sewage Works, 12/07/2007; Wanstead Park, 23/07/2007
an orb-web spider Araneus quadratus Araneidae Sewage Works 01/09/2000
Walnut orb-weaver Nuctenea umbratica Araneidae In Capel Road garden, 02/04/2007; 11/03/2014; Wanstead Park, 02/04/2014
an orb-web spider Agalenatea redii Araneidae Sewage Works, 23/05/2006; Wanstead Flats, 07/06/2007;
an orb-web spider Neoscona adianta Araneidae Wanstead Park, on the Plain, 23/07/2001; Wanstead Flats, 03/07/2010
an orb-web spider Araniella cucurbitina Araneidae Sewage Works; City of London Cemetery, 18/12/2006
an orb-web spider Zilla dioida Araneidae Capel Road garden, 14/04/2007
an orb-web spider Zygiella x-notata Araneidae Capel Road garden, 08/07/2011
spider Cercidia prominens ? Araneidae Wanstead Park, 23/04/2011
Wasp Spider Argiope bruennichi Araneidae Sewage Works on 13/08/00; Wanstead Flats south of Alexandra Lake on 08/08/04; many in 2008
a wolf spider Pardosa (agricola) Lycosidae Wanstead Park near Heronry Pond, 16/05/2011
a wolf spider Pardosa (monticola) Lycosidae Wanstead Park, 29/07/2005
a wolf spider Pardosa (proxima) Lycosidae Wanstead Park, 23/04/2011
a wolf spider Alopecosa (cuneata) Lycosidae Wanstead Park, 11/05/2009; Wanstead Flats, 12/05/2009
a wolf spider Trochosa (terricola) Lycosidae Sewage Works site, 20/03/2015
a wolf spider Trochosa sp. Lycosidae Sewage Works, 02/06/2006, Wanstead Park, 21/06/2007; Wanstead Flats, 04/07/2009
a nursery-web spider Pisaura mirabilis Pisauridae Capel Rd garden, 18/07/2000; Wanstead Park, on vegetation by Shoulder of Mutton Pond, 12/07/01; Wanstead Flats, 13/07/2011
a nursery-web spider Agelena labyrinthica Agelinidae Wanstead Park, 27/06/2007; Wanstead Flats, 07/06/2011; Leyton Flats 08/08/2012
House Spider Tegenaria (gigantea) Agelinidae Capel Road house, 14/09/2000; Wanstead Park near Temple, 05/08/2011
spider Nigma walckenaeri Dictynidae City of London Cemetery, 03/10/2007; Capel Road garden, 29/09/2013
a lace-weaver spider Amaurobius similis Amaurobiidae Capel Road garden, 18/03/2015
a lace-weaver spider Amaurobius ferox Amaurobiidae Capel Road garden, 29/09/2013; CoL Cemetery, 14/03/2015
Buzzing Spider Anyphaena accentuata Anyphaenidae Capel Road garden, 30/10/2014
a crab spider Philodromus dispar Philodromidae Capel Road garden, 10/05/2015
a crab spider Philodromus cespitum Philodromidae Capel Road garden, 26/04/2007; Wanstead Park, 01/05/2009; Northumberland Avenue, 27/05/2011; Bush Wood nr. Green Man rdbt. 05/06/2016
a crab spider  Philodromus (albidus) Philodromidae Capel Road garden, 21/05/2015
a crab spider Philodromus rufus Philodromidae Wanstead Flats, 15/05/2016 (found and verified by David Carr)
a slender crab spider Tibellus oblongus Philodromidae Sewage Works site, 10/03/2015; Wanstead Flat 15/05/2015
a crab spider Misumena vatia Thomisidae Female in Capel Road garden on 31/05/2004, Wanstead Flats, 04/06/2006; Wanstead Park, 30/05/2008; Sewage Works, 25/05/2011
a crab spider Xysticus cristatus Thomisidae Gilbert's Slade, 12/06/2007; Wanstead Park, 09/07/2007; Sewage Works, 12/06/2009
a crab spider Xysticus (kochi) Thomisidae Wanstead Flats, 11/07/2008
a crab spider Heliophanus cupreus Salticidae Capel Road garden, 25/07/2007
Zebra Spider Salticus scenicus Salticidae Capel Road garden 27/04/04; Wanstead Flats, 24/04/2007; City of London Cemetery, 01/03/2012
a jumping spider Euophrys frontalis Salticidae Sewage Works site 10/03/2015
a crab spider Sitticus pubescens Salticidae Capel Road garden, 20/03/2015
Harvestmen
a harvestman Paroligolophus agrestis ? Phalangiidae Capel Road garden, 08/10/2014
a harvestman Odiellus spinosus Phalangiidae  City of London Cemetery, 23/10/2014
a harvestman Opilio saxatilis ? Phalangiidae Wanstead Park, 23/07/2005
a harvestman Leiobunum rotundum ? Leiobunidae Wanstead Park, 16/07/2010
Mites
a mite Aceria erinea Eriophydae as a gall on Walnut, Wanstead Park, 07/09/2007
a mite Aceria genistae Eriophydae as a gall on Broom, Leyton Flats, 16/07/2008
a mite Aceria ilicis Eriophydae as a Red Nail-gall on Holm Oak, City of London Cemetery, 16/06/2008
a mite Aceria lateannulatus Eriophydae as a gall on Lime, Wanstead Park, 04/07/2005
a mite Aceria macrochelus Eriophydae as a gall on Field Maple, Wanstead Flats, 25/08/2011
a mite Aceria macrorhynchus Eriophydae as a gall on Sycamore, Wanstead Park, 11/06/2010
a mite Aceria pseudoplatani Eriophydae as a gall on Sycamore, Wanstead Park, 10/07/2013
a mite Eriophyes exilis Eriophydae as a gall on Lime, in Wanstead Park, 11/06/2010
a mite Eriophylis laevis Eriophydae as a gall on Alder, in Wanstead Park, 01/06/2008
a mite Eriophyes tetanothorax ? Eriophydae as a gall on Willow, , Wanstead Park, 05/06/2008
a mite Eriophylus tiliae Eriophydae as a nail gall on Lime, in Wanstead Park, 04/07/2005
a mite Vasates quadripedes Eriophydae as a Maple Bladder-gall on Silver Maple, Wanstead Park, 07/09/2007
a mite Phytoptus abnormis Phytoptidae as a gall on Lime, Wanstead Park, 02/11/2012
velvet mite Trombidium holosericeum Trombidiidae on gravestones, Manor Park Cemetery, 08/10/2015

 

During 2016 and 2017, some surveys of local spiders were performed by David Carr, who has considerably more skills in this group than I do. The results - as of September 2017 - are summarised below:

ARACHNIDS

2016 total: 67
2017 current total:
85

Running total over two years: 113

Spiders

2016 total: 62

2017 current total: 77

Running total over two years: 102

 

A link to the full survey results, viewable as a .doc file (52kb), is available HERE

 

In addition, the following species have been reported by Rose Stephens of Forest Gate, and although I have not personally seen them I have included her photographs of them:

Name Species Family Status
spider Oonops pulcher Oonopidae Alexandra Wood, Wanstead Flats, 07/10/2014 (Rose Stephens)
spider Labulla thoracica Linyphiidae Lorne Road garden, 01/12/2014 (Rose Stephens)
an orb-weaver Tetragnatha (obtusa ?) Tetragnathidae City of London Cemetery, 09/02/2016 (Rose Stephens)
Cricket-bat Orb Weaver Mangora acalypha Araneidae Wanstead Flats, 04/01/2016, (Rose Stephens)
a crab spider Ozyptila sp. Thomisidae Sewage Works, 12/03/2015 (Rose Stephens)
a crab spider Pseudeuophrys lanigera Salticidae Manor Park Cemetery, 29/11/2014 (Rose Stephens); City of London Cemetery 12/03/2016 (Rose Stephens)
Harvestmen
a harvestman Dicranopalpus ramosus Leiobunidae Lorne Road, Forest Gate, 24/10/2014 (Rose Stephens)