© London Wildlife TrustA large, rare spider has been recorded for the first time in London - deep in tombs at Highgate Cemetery.
A large, rare spider has been recorded for the first time in London - deep in tombs at Highgate Cemetery.
As part of the Wild London Inclusive London project, staff at London Wildlife Trust have been working with the staff and local community of Highgate Cemetery since last summer. During a bat survey in December, Trust staff came across a population of large spiders in the vaults of the Egyptian Avenue at the Cemetery.
Britain's largest orb weavers
Interestingly, these orb weavers are the species Meta bourneti, the rarer of two species of Meta (Britain's largest orb weavers). The identity of the spider was confirmed by Edward Milner, Spider Recorder at the London Natural History Society - and it is the very first record of the species in London!
Meta bourneti is particularly fascinating because, due to its origins as a cave-dweller (also known as a cave spider), it requires total darkness. Even an outdoor night time environment is too bright for it, so the spiders never leave the tombs.
