Summary details for Welch's Money-spider (Erigone welchi Jackson, 1911)

Species Details

Species name
Erigone welchi Jackson, 1911
Common name
Welch's Money-spider
Taxonomy
Animalia :: Araneae :: Linyphiidae
habitat
acid & sedge peats

Distribution

Extremely local, with records from Hampshire, Derbyshire, Cumberland, Radnorshire, Caernarvonshire, Kirkcudbrightshire, Perthshire, Tiree and in 2008 from Montgomeryshire. In Europe it has been recorded from Ireland, France and Scandinavia.

Habitat and ecology

Very wet acid bogs. E. welchi usually occurs on very wet Sphagnum, with small webs spun just above the water level, but also among wet moss and grass, and among Carex tussocks. Its altitude range is from near sea level to about 500 m. Adults are probably found throughout most of the year.

Status

UK Biodiversity Action Plan priority species. Recorded from just two sites since 1992, showing an apparent decline of over 80% in Area of Occupancy from before that date (from 11 hectads to two). The spider has been found abundantly at some sites. Despite the spider’s specialised habitat, there appears to have been a major decline. The spider has been found abundantly at some sites. Despite the spider's specialised habitat, there appears to have been a major decline.

Threats

All of its known sites are in remote boggy areas. The threat of drainage or afforestation is probably less now than in the past.

Management and conservation

Maintain wet conditions of the bogs where it occurs. Text based on Dawson, I.K., Harvey, P.R., Merrett, P. & Russell-Smith, A.R. (in prep.).

Stats

First recorded
1911
Last recorded
2024
Total records
85
Total visits
65

Conservation status

Erigone welchi
SourceReporting categoryDesignationDate designatedComments
Scottish Biodiversity List (incorporating 2007 updates and 2012 categorisation)Biodiversity Lists - ScotlandScottish Biodiversity List01/06/2007Terrestrial/Freshwater Species. Added to UK BAP list in 2007. Criteria: Decline
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)Rare and scarce speciesNationally Rare. Includes Red Listed taxa01/09/2017
A Review of the scarce and threatened spiders (Araneae) of Great Britain: Species Status No. 22 (Sep 2017)Red listing based on 2001 IUCN guidelinesEndangered01/09/2017Recorded at only two locations since 1993, most recently in 2008, and its AOO has apparently declined substantially.The spider's specialised habitat, with webs spun just above water level in Sphagnum bogs, suggests under-recording may be an issue. However the spider’s habitat is vulnerable to changes in the surrounding land management, including drainage, which is known to have negatively affected some of the known locations. Thus, while more surveys are required ihabitat degradation is thought likely to be the major factor in this species’ decline. Threats: All of its known sites are in remote boggy areas. The threat of drainage or afforestation is probably less now than in the past.
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 - Species of Principal Importance in England (section 41)Biodiversity Lists - EnglandEngland NERC S.4101/11/2008
Environment (Wales) Act 2016 - Species of Principal Importance in Wales (section 7)Biodiversity Lists - WalesEnv (Wales) Act S721/05/2016
UK list of Priority Habitats and SpeciesBiodiversity Action Plan UK list of priority speciesPriority Species28/08/2007not on former UK BAP list

Photos and media

Spatial distribution - hectad map

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Rejected records are excluded from this map. Unverified records are included.

Temporal distribution - records by year

Records that span more than one year are not included in this chart.

Temporal distribution - records by week