UK Nature and Environment

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Giant spiders the size of rats making a comeback in UK (www.independent.co.uk)

submitted 1 month ago by GreyShuck@feddit.uk to c/nature@feddit.uk

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The UK’s largest breed of spiders, which can grow to the size of rats and hunts fish, are making a comeback in Britain.

From near-extinction in 2010 - when only a handful remained as their wetland homes were destroyed by humans - the number of fen raft spiders are now steadily increasing thanks to recent conservation efforts.

The spiders are set to have their best year on record at nature reserves ran by RSBP.

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[–] harrys_balzac@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 1 month ago (3 children)

The article is very poorly written. Saying they can grow to the size of a mans hand? Good thing that all men have the same size hands.

[–] tobogganablaze@lemmus.org 11 points 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago)

It's also not the "The UK’s largest breed of spiders". If they are going by legspan (which they have to do to get anywhere near hand size) then Tegenaria parietina has it easily beaten.

[–] cows_are_underrated@feddit.org 7 points 1 month ago

Their webs grow up to 25cm in diameter, but they themselves are much smaller(up to 8cm)

[–] SoleInvictus@lemmy.blahaj.zone 5 points 1 month ago

Plus the article is referring to total leg span as its size, where many people are thinking of the size of the spider's body. They're not very big, nowhere near the size of most tarantulas. They're so small and light they can literally walk on water.