Rare spider discovered on National Trust land

A rare spider has been uncovered on National Trust land at Prawle Point in South Devon.  The moon spider (Callilepis nocturna) was known to have previously inhabited this coastal site, although it has not been recorded since 1990.

Whilst common throughout Europe, the moon spider has been recorded at just 2 other sites nationwide: in Pembrokeshire, South Wales, and Tennyson Down on the Isle of Wight.

After the rediscovery of the presumed-extinct short necked oil beetle on another Trust site in the area in 2007, this find once again highlights the conservation value of much of the land under the National Trust's care in Devon.