A tiny wolf spider once thought to have disappeared from Britain has been found again on a remote part of the Isle of Wight nature reserve that is reachable only by boat. The species, Aulonia albimana, was located in an area grazed by Hebridean sheep at the National Trust’s Newtown reserve, more than a mile from where it was last known to occur.
The spider, nicknamed the white-knuckled wolf spider because of pale, knuckle-like markings on its palps, had not been recorded in the UK since 1985 and was feared lost. Entomologists Mark Telfer and Graeme Lyons rediscovered it during a targeted survey. Time was tight: Lyons says he found the first specimen with nine minutes left before the return boat, and a second in the last minute of their visit — a dramatic finish that helped give the species its informal name.
Aulonia albimana is very small (adults typically 3.8–4.4 mm body length). Although it belongs to the wolf spider family — a group known for chasing and pouncing on prey — this species also builds a flimsy web, so its hunting behaviour is not fully understood. There are about 38 wolf spider species recorded in the UK.
The rediscovery followed habitat restoration work at the site. The National Trust introduced Hebridean sheep to graze the limestone grassland, creating the short, patchy, sunlit turf the spider appears to prefer. Conservators say the find shows the value of active management in restoring lost open habitats.
Helen Smith, conservation officer at the British Arachnological Society, described the find as one of Britain’s major rediscoveries, noting the species had likely vanished from former sites as open habitat was lost. The next steps are to assess the full population, map its distribution and identify the conditions needed for it to expand and be secured for the future. National Trust staff say the discovery validates years of management to encourage diverse wildlife at Newtown.
