fnh journal vol 24 - Forth Naturalist and Historian - University of Stirling

50 J.A. Stewart
trapped the most common species was the Tetragnathid Pachygnatha degeeri
with 440 specimens, most of which were taken in the drier area at the edge of
the moss, in heather and tufts of grass.
A full species list is given in the Appendix.
Acknowledgements
My thanks go to June Waley, Reserve Warden, and the Callander Support
Group of the SWT for arranging access to the reserve, to Peter Merrett for the
initial identification of Heliophanus dampfi, to Bob Saville for identification of the
harvestmen, to Richard Bacon for help with the field work, to Isobel Baldwin
for field work and help with the preparation of this paper, and to Tim Benton
for suggesting improvements to the original draft.
References
Nelson, J.M. (1983/4). Some insects from a portion of East Flanders Moss, Central Region.
Forth Naturalist and Historian 8, 55-63.
Williams, S.A. (1991). Heliophanus dampfi Schenkel (Salticidae) in mid-Wales and new to
Britain. Newsl. Br. arachnol. Soc. 61, 3-4.
APPENDIX – LIST OF SPECIES
(p = trapped in pitfalls, h = collected by hand)
Order ARANEAE (Spiders)
Family DICTYNIDAE – small brownish spiders, makers of mesh type webs.
Dictyna arundinacea (h) – very common on heather and other plants where it
often spins its web on dry dead heads.
Family GNAPHOSIDAE – mostly nocturnal hunters that spend the day in
silken cells under stones and other detritus. They prefer dry sites which
they apparently find quite readily in wet, marshy areas.
Drassodes cupreus (p,h) – up to 15 mm long, and uniformly fawn in colour, this
fierce hunter is commonly found in grass clumps and under stones.
Haplodrassus signifer (p,h) – a common species found in similar habitats to the
previous one.
Zelotes latreillei (p) – a shiny black spider with a widespread distribution in
England but recorded in only a few Scottish vice-counties.
Micaria pulicaria (p,h) – common and widely distributed, this spider does not
limit its search for prey to night time, but can be found running about in
bright sunshine. Rather ant-like in appearance with an iridescent abdomen.
Family CLUBIONIDAE – like the previous family the Clubionids are mainly
nocturnal hunters that hide during the day in silken cells in a variety of
situations.
Clubiona reclusa (h) – a common species in low vegetation in damp or marshy
sites. The female with egg sac is usually found in a curled leaf.