Class Arachnida (O. Araneae) - Spiders

Long-Jawed Orb Weaver - Tetragnatha extensa

A common species found lurking at the edge of lakes and ponds poised for its next victim! It can hunt on the surface of water and when its legs are fully extended in a straight line it may resemble a twig.

Nursery Web Spider - Pisaura mirabilis

Aptly named on account of the nursery-like web(7th picture) the female keeps her immature young in, this species is velvety in appearance.  The first four photos are of females with their egg sacs and the 5th and 6th are of what I believe to be a male with a pre-coital gift for a female as it was seen in close proximity to the nest.  It may however be the female returning from a foraging session.  The final two photos are of an abandoned egg sac, which possibly belongs to this species.  Nursery web spiders do not build webs as a means of trapping prey, but instead, hunt insects down 'on foot'.

Orb Web Spider - Zygiella atrica

A common orb web spider of Britain and Europe, seen here constructing a new web.

Wolf Spider - Lycosa saccata

Probably one of the most abundant spiders of all, this species can be found in almost every habitat on the farm!  Unlike the nursery web spider, it carries its egg sac below the abdomen and not below the jaw.  This species, like the nursery web spider does not build a web but uses its exceptional eye sight and speed to actively hunt prey.  The first photo shows a female making short work of  a scorpion fly (Panorpa communis).