Coelotes atropos a Winter Woodland Spider

 

Coelotes atropos on its silk burrow entrance

Coelotes atropos is a local woodland specialist, found particularly under logs, or occasionally in rot holes in a range of woodlands in North Yorkshire, I have not found the species in East Yorkshire before. Nationally Coelotes atropos has a westerly distribution in Britain, with the Yorkshire coast being almost its most early point, with a few records in Kent and Lincolnshire. The species is considered common but regional in Britain, becoming rare in the south east. This species tends to be recorded from upland area in the south west, although locally I find it both upland and lowland.

Locally I find these at a range of woodland sites along the northern edge of the Vale of Pickering including Raincliffe Woods, Forge Valley, Chafer Wood and Pexton Banks. This species was found last weekend in Dalby Forest, unfortunately during very cold conditions, with spider hunting generally very poor. This robust spider is a favourite of mine, and has an almost tarantula look to it. Winter invertebrate hunting under logs often reveals this species hiding away.