ARACHNIDS

Like many people, I grew up a little scared of spiders. But nowadays, I just remind myself they're really more fearful of us than the other way around. There are 650 species of spider found in the UK and only 12 of those are known to bite. This is most likely to happen only when a spider is threatened. So, if we leave them alone, the likelihood of actually being bitten is very low.

As I've started to see spiders out in nature and learn more, I appreciate how they have an important role to play in our ecosystems. They eat the insect pests in our homes, gardens and on our crops. Some of the ones I've seen are really quite amazing. I'm starting to see spiders in a whole new light.

A very tiny Green Cribellate Spider (Nigma walckenaeri).

An Orb Spider spinning its web.