Nature surprises you in ways you had never imagined. When it seemed that all living creatures in the UK have been accounted for comes a critter that has never ever been recorded. This rare species of arachnid was discovered at Cheshire Wildlife Trust’s Holcroft Moss Nature Reserve, Warrington, UK.
Officially known as Sibianor Larae, this diminutive arachnid is an ‘athletic moss-dwelling’ creature. It can put an Olympic jumper to shame since it has the ability to leap over six feet, that is, 20 times its body length! Much like bungee jumping, this spider produces a silky dragline that acts as its safety line.
Not only this, its fangs produce venom. If agitated, it’s known to bite in self-defence. Luckily, its poison is not a threat to humans, who may suffer from redness, itching, stinging and swelling and not much else. What’s more, this spider prefers to run away from humans, rather than attack them.
Image: Lukas Jonaitis / Wikimedia CommonsFortunately, this spider prefers outdoors, instead of hiding in the nook and cranny of your home. It’s active during the daytime and prefers to roam around in sunshine looking for prey.
This spider is athletic alright. It’s an excellent hunter and has the ability not only to jump long distances but also to move both sideways and backwards at lightning speeds to pounce on its prey. Its favourite food comprises mosquitos, webworms, cotton leaf worms, bollworms, flea hoppers, leafhoppers and stinkbugs.
