January 22, 2013 9:47 am
Rare Spider Hides Out in London Cemetery Vaults for 150 Years
Meta mendari, a close relative of the tomb-dwelling species found in London. Photo: Nick’s Spiders
A rare species of orb weaver spider, Meta bourneti, turned up in the vaults of London’s Highgate Cemetery where it may have been lying low for the past 150 years.
As an orb weaver, the species requires total darkness, so archeologists think the tombs made a perfect hideout for the spider, which normally lives in caves and feasts upon small insects and woodlice. According to the BBC, this is the first time M. bourneti has been recorded in London.
Around 100 spiders, measuring about 30 mm, turned up in the tombs, some of which date back to the 1830s. The discovery shows just how important urban cemeteries can be for providing refuges for wildlife, the London Wildlife Trust told the BBC.
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There are thousands of species of orb-weaver spiders, most of which do not live in constant darkness. This one certainly sounds interesting.
Comment by Greg Ball — January 22, 2013 @ 12:33 pm