Raft spider
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| Raft spider | ||||||||||||||
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 Female with juvenile spiders
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| Dolomedes fimbriatus (Walckenaer, 1842) |
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The raft spider, Dolomedes fimbriatus, is a European spider of the family Pisauridae. Found only in or near damp places, raft spiders are the largest in Great Britain. They are capable of moving across water and submerging themselves for periods of time to protect themselves from predators.
Adult females are the larger of the species with bodies measuring 22 mm long and with a leg span of about 70 mm.
Raft spiders are semi-aquatic and live their lives around acidic bogs. They are dark brown or black in color with a large stripe of white or cream along their sides.
A second similar species of raft spider, Dolomedes plantarius, occurs in Britain as well. Though less particular about its habitat, which tends to be neutral to alkaline, unpolluted water, it is far rarer. They like to stay in warmer places and also eat dead things.
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