One of the world’s rarest spiders – found in just four sites in a single British city – is under threat from a Christmas market.
The horrid ground-weaver, which is critically endangered, was first discovered in 1989.
It is a 3mm-long money spider with a hairy, elongated abdomen that’s usually orange-pink with no distinct markings.
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Its colour can vary between individuals – from pale orange-pink to dark brown – and it’s known for its strong, spine-like leg hairs.
Now experts have raised the alarm after plans for a festive market were announced on one of the spiders’ last surviving habitats in Cattedown, Plymouth, Devon.
And wildlife charity Buglife said it fears for the creature’s future, as reported by Need To Know.
A spokesperson for the group had written to Plymouth City Council, urging it to take action to secure the future of Radford Quarry because it is “home to an internationally important population of spiders”.
Radford Quarry is a County Wildlife Site with a rich variety of habitats including flowery grassland, scrub and cliff habitat, and it is an important refuge for wildlife such as butterflies, bats and badgers.
But it is also one of only four sites in the whole world where the globally critically endangered horrid ground-weaver spider has been found.
A Buglife spokesperson said: “Plymouth City Council has taken a strong position to protect this wildlife haven historically, refusing previous development proposals for a housing scheme and indicating that it would not permit a leisure park.
“However, in recent months, the site’s owner has opened up Radford Quarry as a campsite – disturbing its precious, sensitive habitats.
“Now plans have been announced for a Christmas market in the quarry, at just the time of year when the horrid ground-weaver is known to be active.
“International assessment of this Critically Endangered species and Plymouth speciality has identified that the greatest threat to its long-term survival is development.
“Concerningly, the recent developments on the wildlife sites appear to have taken place without an assessment of their impact on the horrid ground-weaver, or the other wildlife on site.”
Andrew Whitehouse, Buglife’s Head of Operations, said the ground-weaver is a special species for Plymouth and the council “has an international responsibility to do everything that it can to protect its habitat”.
He said: “Our wildlife is under threat like never before, and while we welcome Plymouth City Council’s bold public commitments to nature recovery in its recent draft Plymouth Plan for Nature and People, we need to see them take urgent action to prevent Radford Quarry County Wildlife site being damaged.”
Plymouth City Council has been approached for comment.
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