This female ‘leaflitter crab spider’ – Ozyptila praticola – was found at the reserve yesterday on an ivy-covered tree trunk beside the bog. These spiders are very well camouflaged amongst earth or on tree bark and they move very slowly, playing a sit-and-wait game to capture their prey rather than making a web or actively hunting. They will also rely on their camouflage or play dead (thanatosis) rather than run away if disturbed. Ozyptila praticola are fairly common in southern England.
