Published three times a year, the BAS Newsletter brings you the latest in arachnology, from new species records and behavioural insights, to photography tips, field guides, and interviews with experts. Stay connected with our community and explore the fascinating world of spiders and other arachnids.
Richard Wilson's excellent new Atlas of Spiders and Harvestmen of Yorkshire, covering 430 species and celebrating Clifford Smith's pioneering 1982 atlas for the county, is now available at a pre-publication price of £25 + £4.50 p&p (saving £10) via https://bit.ly/Yorkshire_Spider_Atlas until 1st October 2025.
We are pleased to announce a new small grant scheme for BAS members. The Stanley Dobson Award Scheme is intended to provide financial support to amateur arachnologists who are looking to advance their knowledge or field study of British arachnids. Encouraging amateur naturalists to engage in arachnology and expand their knowledge was very important to Stan and this Award Scheme has been established with support from his family as a lasting legacy, recognising his many contributions to the study of spiders and the British Arachnological Society.
We are thrilled to announce that Peter Harvey is the first recipient of our new President's Award, given in recognition of exceptional contributions by individual members towards the public understanding of arachnology. He was presented with his award, an original painting by Richard Lewington of the Pirate spider, Ero cambridgei, by BAS President, Bill Parker at the Wat Tyler Country Park in Essex.
BAS members and contributors will now have received their special issue of Arachnology with the proceedings of our 2021 symposium to honour the lives of Mike Roberts, John Murphy and John's wife Frances. This substantial volume contains eight papers based on the symposium presentations and an additional 16 contributions. All relate to Mike, John and Frances' interests and cover a very wide ranging topics. There should be something for everyone's interests!
The British Arachnological Society strongly condemns the invasion of Ukraine. The arachnological research and conservation community is international, working together towards common goals regardless of differences in language, culture, religion and political views. We now stand in solidarity with our colleagues and friends in Ukraine, Russia, Belarus and across the world. Our community entirely rejects this violence and urges a peaceful solution.
The BAS offers small grants to its members to help with the costs of research and survey (normally £500-£2,500) and attending courses and conferences (normally up to £500). Full details of our grants, including application procedures, can be found here.
