Leiobunum
sp.A is a very dark, extremely long-legged
Harvestman, obviously much larger than other Leiobunum
Harvestmen in the UK, with a leg span of around
100mm. It first appeared in The Netherlands in 2004 and
still remains scientifically unidentified to species
level. It is believed to be a very invasive species,
quickly forming large congregations numbering many
hundreds on the shaded walls of buildings.
We found the first
ever record for the UK, on the wall of a house in Worksop in 2009. It
was then found by Paul Richards on a factory wall in Barnsley in
September 2012, just before we finally located this Harvestman again on
the walls of Worksop Priory in October 2012. In 2018, it was recorded at a garden centre near Oxton
(Wil Heeney), which was the first
record away from Worksop and has since been found at an increasing range
of sites in central parts o Nottingham, Sutton-in-Ashfield and
Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
First dates for some of Nottinghamshire's other sites include Bramcote in 2019
(Campbell, J.), the NTU's Arkwright
Building on Shakespeare Street Nottingham (Harrison,
O.) in October 2022, on sandstone walls at The Park Tunnel
Nottingham and the B&Q store at Sutton-in-Ashfield
(Pendleton, T.A.) in September 2024. On
Meadows Way, the Victoria Embankment
(Oleshko, J. and Bandi, M.) and Nottingham Rock Cemetery
(Sexton, T.) in November 2024, Ilkeston Road/Seeley Road Nottingham in July 2025
(Dr Linda Birkin) and
Kirkby-in-Ashfield August 2025
(Pendleton, T.A.). |
