Ladybird Spider Project

The Ladybird Spider is so endangered in the UK that it is possible to count each individual spider living in Dorset, where it has managed to keep a small but determined eight-legged foothold.

The Ladybird Spider depends on lowland heathland – and this is its main problem. Heathland has suffered drastic declines over the last 100 years or so, being ploughed up for agriculture and forestry, or built on.

The spider’s long life-cycle, very specific requirements and the fact that it is not good at dispersing and colonising new sites, have all added to its vulnerability.

What did the project do?

When the Ladybird Spider was first rediscovered in 1980, the last remaining site supported only a few spiders, but successful habitat management has enabled the number of spiders here to increase and the population is now more secure. Since 2000, over 20 populations have been established on Dorset heathland. Spiders have been carefully released onto new sites – increasing the number of Ladybird Spider populations in Dorset, but there is still a lot of work to do.

Buglife have been conserving the Ladybird Spider for many years, working as part of the Ladybird Spider Partnership; our projects include the Back from the Brink project which ran from 2017-2020.

This species recovery project surveyed three known populations of the Ladybird Spider and produced habitat assessments and management recommendations for the sites. Data was collected on habitat characteristics, such as soil, associated with successful populations of the spider. We also provided recommendations for further translocation receptor sites, which could be used to introduce new populations in the future.

Training was delivered to five volunteers at the RSPB’s Arne Reserve in population assessment and habitat management to continue the vital work needed to protect this species.

How can you stay involved with the project?

Take a look at this amazing video of the Ladybird Spider, filmed for Springwatch.

You can also learn more about Britain’s wonderful spiders with the British Arachnological Society. Or perhaps you would like to learn more about our other species recovery projects.