Wednesday 23 August 2017

Wasp Spider, Oxfordshire.

 Wasp Spider

 Wasp Spider

 Wasp Spider
Found by Roger and Sue, the Wardens at withymead Nature reserve. 1st Record for Oxfordshire? or possibly the 2nd? as there is a report of one found in Nyatt's field thats in between Barton field and orchard lake at Radley lakes in 2015. Thanks to both of them for the invite to catch up with it.
Addendum:- Wasp spider found by Judy webb and photographed by Ian smith in Marcham near Abingdon in August 2016 so Rogers spider is probably the 3rd Record for Oxfordshire?!

2 comments:

  1. I'm sure you will soon get more of these Wayne. Seeing lots this year with up to 25 in quite a small area.

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  2. Always the issue of which county? Marcham and Nyatt's Field (between Abingdon and Radley near the Thames) are in modern county of Oxfordshire today (post 1st April 1974 borders), but in biological recording terms, are still in the Vice County of Berkshire or VC 22 Berkshire. Likewise VC 23 Oxfordshire refers to the borders pre 1st April 1974. The Marcham record was the umpteenth for VC 22; 2nd for modern Oxfordshire and possibly the most northerly UK record according to National Biodiverseity Network Atlas (as of August 2016), but I know of another, unmapped, report near Usk in VC 35 Monmouthshire, from near 10 years back at a similar latitude. The habitat is everywhere and hay is a well travelled commodity; but how often are we alert to what is present around ankle height. Wayne's photo will surely mean awareness and sightings will increase substantially in whichever county we choose to call it !

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