The warm, damp summer may have been bad news for barbeques, but for Britain�s spiders, like this common zebra jumping-spider, it may have been just the ticket.
Anecdotal evidence from conservationists suggests that damp conditions, good for breeding, mean spiders like this common false-widow are in abundance.
Now, insect charity Buglife is launching a survey to see whether Daddy-longlegs spiders and their cousins have really seen a bumper year.
You can take part in the survey by following the link at the bottom of the page. To participate you�ll need to be able to recognise common UK spiders, like this garden cross spider.
Some spiders are harder to find than others. This true window lace-weaver lives in holes during the day which you can recognise by a bluish web at the entrance.
Others are only found in some parts of the UK. This large false-widow is lives mainly on the south coast and there has never been a sighting north of Scunthorpe.
For some of you, the thought of an increase in hairy legs and goggly eyes, such as those of the house spider, may not be such a good thing.
And the very thought of the spitting spider, pictured here, might send shivers down an arachnophobe's spine. But fear not - all but one of the UK�s spiders are harmless.
The only UK spider whose bite can harm humans - cause swelling and nausea - is this noble false-widow. It is rare and can be recognised by the wine bottle marking on its back.
And if you manage to take any good photos of your house and garden spiders, like this picture of a wasp spider, we'd like to see them. Send them to us using the link below.
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