RSPB confirm UK's largest spider thought to be extinct is making a comeback

'Giant' spiders thought to previously be extinct are making a huge comeback in the UK. But don't despair, the huge growth in numbers of the Fen Raft Spider is actually a conservation success story. The spider was on the verge of extinction in the UK in 2010 but has thankfully made a comeback thanks to the efforts of the (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) RSPB.

Huge conservation news! 🕸️🕷️ We’ve helped the UK’s LARGEST spider come back from the brink of extinction! While they may look big and scary, the fen raft spider is harmless and plays a VITAL role within healthy aquatic ecosystems. However, 15 years ago, they almost became..

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com/tc3owOFVqV — Chester Zoo (@chesterzoo) August 21, 2024 The Fen Raft Spider The Fen Raft Spider's diet includes other spiders, damselflies, dragonfly larvae and even fish and tadpoles. They are easiest to spot in grazing marsh ditches from June to September. “The Fen Raft Spider is one of the UK’s rarest invertebrates and we are proud of the role our reserves and teams have played in its recovery,” Tim Strudwick, the RSPB Mid Yare nature reserves site manager where many of the spiders are homed, told the MailOnline .

“These spiders have an important role in maintaining the rich aquatic diversity found in the grazing ditches on our reserves. The females are impressive in size, but also beautiful – they are truly special to see,” Mr Strudwick added. The spiders are not venomous but are semi-aquatic a.