‘Extinct’ spider back from dead

A spider presumed extinct in Britain has been spotted for the first time in half a century.

The sighting, made by two National Trust volunteers, suggests a remarkable comeback for the species thanks to habitat restoration. The diamond spider was captured in heathland at Clumber Park, Notts. It is only the third ever found in the UK, and the first since 1969.

Lucy Stockton, who discovered the creature with fellow volunteer Trevor Harris, said: “The spider ran away from me twice but with persistence and some luck I caught it. Our spider had a conspicuous ‘cardiac mark’, a black diamond shape on its abdomen, edged with white that helped us to identify it.”

Only previously seen in the southeast of England, the diamond spider’s habitat includes damp areas with moss, purple moor grass and heather.