Rare wolf spider makes major comeback in UK after 40 years

After years of being lost, a critically endangered spider species has been rediscovered in the UK.

As reported by the BBC, the wolf-spiders, not seen in the UK for 40 years, have been rediscovered in a remote nature reserve accessible only by boat.

Aulonia albimana, which was last recorded in the UK in 1985, was uncovered at the National Trust's Newtown nature reserve on the Isle of Wight - about 2km (1.2 miles) from the spider's former colony.

The tiny orange-legged arachnid has been informally dubbed the 'white-knuckled wolf spider' by those who found it.

Entomologist Mark Telfer, who led the survey, called it "one of the most unforgettable discoveries and a major conservation success."

"To find a species thought lost for 40 years is thrilling – and testament to how the right habitat management, combined with curiosity and collaboration, can deliver remarkable results,” he added.

Wolf spiders were named for their agile hunting skills, which involve chasing prey along the ground before pouncing like a wolf.

There are 38 species of wolf spiders living in the UK.

The National Trust said the Aulonia albimana's hunting techniques remained something of a mystery, as the species was also known to spin a flimsy web.

Conservation officer, British Arachnological Society, Helen Smith said, “The remarkable discovery of this little dapper spider on the Isle of Wight is one of Britain’s lost species rediscoveries of the century.”