Domestic Spider literature (UK)

[Andrew Ferguson]

Basically, any suggestions? The British Arachnological Society have a members handbook which seems a good price

http://www.britishspiders.org.uk/html/bas.php?page=handbook

Just wondered if anyone can recommend anything else.

Thanks in advance.

Andrew

[Thomas Pitchford]

I have a "few" spider books, fact and fiction - feel free to visit librarything.com to see the titles (search for user http6592 and the group my books by the "spider" tag) - so if you would like an opinion about a certain book, I'd do my best.

Could you be more specific about what type of thing you want? (Sorry, I'm a librarian - this is habit)

I was in the BAS for a short while - I did enjoy it, but I find the BTS to have a wide range of reading material (and the fact I actually have T's, not other spiders) rather than the usually very scientifically heavy to read BAS material. If the handbook is the very nice but fairly small pamphlet they distribute to members upon joining it is a very good introductory read with quite a bit of practical info as well such as what kind of supplies you might want, where to get them and how to keep standardised records of your spider watching for their geographical location maps.

Shockingly I don't have most of the books mentioned on this forum - yet.

If it is a British spider guide you're after the newest Collins hardcover is about £25 but excellent and there are two others I could recommend but I will have to look up their specific titles later.

Sorry that's a bit long, but hope it helps!!

[Steven Williams]

I agree with Thomas. It really does depend on what you want and how scientific you want it to be; are we talking spider biology, identification or just an overview? I think the BAS Members' Handbook is good as an introduction to British spiders; the sections on keeping British spiders and photography are also very nice and the overview of British spider families is very good. There are of other publications I could recomend (unfortunately most are now out of print). If you post what you are looking for I'm sure people will be able to help.

Steven

[Andrew Ferguson]

Thanks Thomas and Steve. What I would like is lots of photos, scientific and common name (if applicable) and just a simple explanation about the spider and habitat. Not too bothered about mating rituals etc or heavy scientific research. Kind of like a Ladybird book for grown ups. If your under 25, a Ladybird book isn't a book about ladybirds by the way.

[Colin D Wilson]

search for the "country life guide to spiders of britain and northern europe" by Dick Jones (ISBN 0-600-35665-5 )
Its an old book (1983) but has full colour plates of the spiders, description, habitat, size indication for male and female etc.
I would imagine the latest publication would have been revised as to any changes in genus or species since it was first published.

[Ray Hale]

I agree with Colin that is the book to get. The BAS is an excellent Society and one that I would recommend to you all. But bear in mind it is aimed predominantly at those intrested in the more academic side of spiders. Never the less its a great society and worth joining.

Ray

[Andrew Ferguson]

Thanks Colin. The Scotophaeus blackwalli* I caught has built the most amazing web. I've used an old baby food jar. There is a column of silk which leads to a platform of web just under the neck. Its behaviour is fantastic, especially when repairing its web. It's this spider, and my hunt for a Dysdera crocata which has really brought about an interest in our own native species. Hence the reason for literature.

* I would love to bring it along to the BTS expo but unfortunately a prior family engagement doesn't permit me to. I'm going to try and get some good photos to post on here, but its such a fiesty little thing, its proving quite hard. Its fast, a jumper and just somewhat defensive/aggressive.

[Colin D Wilson]

Well that was more of a initial identification from the original photos you sent to me.

Hopefully i'm right to save embarrasment
I couldn't stand another ribbing from that Wesemey Flower charactor

[Thomas Pitchford]

If I may add my agreement to the list, the Dick Jones book is one of the only guides that focuses on British spiders AND has photographs rather than illustrations. But it has not been reprinted recently and must be purchased second hand of which at the moment abebooks.co.uk seems to lead you to about six or so UK dealers who have one. A local library "might" still have it, but have probably discarded them since the 1980's in favour of the new Collins Field Guide (2008 printing). My copy of the Jones book is a hardcover reprint from 1989 that was published through someone else, not Country Life. I don't believe it has any updated or corrected info, but I've only read parts of the guide, not the intro so if I find that is does contain more or more accurate info than the 1983, I'll post again tomorrow.

[Colin D Wilson]

Thomas i have the 1983 copy i believe, with the softer "canvas" style cover.
The ISBN for the "cased" is 0-600-35614-0 for reference.
It's noted in the aknowledgements that this copy was printed in spain by Artes Graficas Toledo if thats any help.

[Andrew Ferguson]

I really appreciate the replies gents. It has given me some idea of what to get. I'm going to try the library first but I'm not holding my breath. Some searching on the net has showed up some other books I'd be interested in too, including the Private Life of Spiders by Paul Hillyard.
I'll deffinatley be hunting down Dick Jones's book.

[Thomas Pitchford]

Oh yes! BEAUTIFUL photography and well written, both introductory and imtermediate in it's scope of knowledge. I don't even have that one yet, I've only borrowed from the library - ?Christmas? if my wife thinks I've been good??

And just for the record, Paul Hillyard is the "spiderman" of the Natural History Museum, but you folk may also have known that already. He is the writer of the Collins Gem Guide, a nice pocket size guide of international spiders with about ten T's in it as well. He also wrote The Book of the Spider which is more of a social history: legends & folklore, famous arachnologists, and much more.

[Thomas Pitchford]

I'm such a donkey - I do have Private Life of Spiders by Paul Hillyard - it's Spiders: The Ulitmate Predators by Stephen Dalton I don't have yet.

My apologies if donkeys are very bright animals and actually know what books they own.

[Andrew Ferguson]

LOL Tom! I saw that book too and have it on my wish list as well.

p.s. Thanks for the email Tom.

[Grant Brown]

The collins guide is a fairly good place to start although I find it a little frustrating - it does tend to state things such as "There are 35 species of genus X in Europe, and I have reproduced 6 of them", which is annoying if you are like me and want to know all 35!

As an aside, does anyone have experience with the Provisional Atlas produced by the BAS? I was thinking of getting one, but I don't really know what to expect.

My only hope is that it would not be as dissapointing as the "Catalogue of the Pseudoscorpionia" which was advertised to me as containing info and descriptions of all species known to 1983. Alas, it has about a line for each...

Also, does Fitzgerald books still operate? I rememeber trying to buy The Biology of Scorpions from them and being told they had basically ceased to exist...I am quite interested in the 3 copy hardcover collection on UK spiders (I forget the author now).