this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2024
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UK Nature and Environment

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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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[–] tobogganablaze@lemmus.org 11 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months 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.