The word ‘tarantula’ still causes a start - but at least we don't have then in the UK - or do we? The answer may surprise you!
The purseweb spider is Britain’s only tarantula and member of the order that contains these tropical giants, and we may walk past it without ever suspecting.
Just occasionally, the most eagle-eyed of visitors will see a dirty silken tube poking up through grass roots or nestling against the underside of a rock, and pause to wonder.
What is the purseweb spider?
The purseweb is a stay-at-home spider. It spends most of its life inside that silken tube, which has variously been compared to an old purse and a dirty sock - hence its name. The whole structure can be up to 25cm long but only a small part protrudes above the soil surface.
How does the purseweb spider catch its prey
Deeper down, the spider waits, sensing grasshoppers or other prey through vibrations. So reluctant is the purseweb to leave its dwelling that it bites its victim through the tube, pulling it inside once immobilised. It then repairs the tube, also from the inside. If it were human, this spider would subsist entirely on takeaway home deliveries.
What do purseweb spiders look like?
While much smaller than a true tarantula, it has some of their characteristics and still looks distinctively ‘different’ from our other British spiders with its heavy-set legs and large ‘fangs’ (properly called chelicerae). The spider operates these like parallel daggers, rather than the pincer-like movement of other British species.
How big are purseweb spiders?
The body of a purseweb ranges from 1 to 3.8cm
Where does the purseweb spider live?
Sightings are possible in the North and South Downs, New Forest and other south-eastern sites, but a few are found as far north as Cumbria and south-western Scotland.
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What is the lifecycle of a purseweb spider?
Romance can compel the males to venture abroad, however; this is usually during the autumn, and it is at this time that the spider is most likely to be glimpsed.
Perhaps befitting its leisurely lifestyle, pursewebs pursue a slow life history. Eggs from an autumn mating may not be produced until the following summer; they are kept inside the tube in a silken hammock. Once the spiderlings hatch, they too will stay home for some months before dispersing and building miniature tubes of their own.
How long do purseweb spiders live for?
Incredibly, purseweb spiders take four years to mature, and may continue to live for several more years after that. It seems that despite first appearances, the purseweb has found a healthy way of living.
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