ATTENTION BAS MEMBERS! This new website is based on more up-to-date technology than the previous one and we hope that you will notice an improvement in the member's facilities such as the online library search. Unfortunately, the change in technology prevents us from automatically transferring login credentials from the old site. Members should register on this new website using the register button on the right. Registration is more streamlined than on the old website and will give you full control over your own password including password recovery facilities etc. After checking that you are a paid-up BAS member, the membership secretary will enable your account.

2024 AGM

Our 2024 AGM will take place, via Zoom, on Saturday 15th June 2024 at 10.00am. As in previous years, the formal meeting (usually around 30 minutes) will be followed by three fascinating short talks on various aspects of arachnid biology. The agenda and information on how to attend the AGM will be provided in the spring issue of the BAS Newsletter. For now, please book the date.

The talks, plus an opportunity to ask questions will take about one and a half hours.

BAS iRecord Recording Form now available

iRecord homepage showing BAS form on menus

We're very please to announce that the BAS now has a bespoke iRecord recording form. This allows you to enter your UK spider, harvestman and Pseudoscorpion records. The form has optional ecological fields so that you can help improve our understanding of all of these fascinating species. You can also attach photographs of your sightings which will help with record verification.

BAS members' field weekend 2024

The spectacular frontage of Gregynog Hall

Our ever popular annual field weekend for BAS members will be based at the spectacular Gregynog Hall in mid-Wales from Friday 31st May to Sunday 2nd June. As well as good food and company, and comfortable accommodation, our field weekends provide an opportunity to meet friendly spider experts and enthusiasts, and to go on field trips to stunning local habitats - this year, including the ancient woodlands within the venue's 750 acre estate.

Murphy & Roberts Symposium papers now freely available

Cover of the Murphy & Roberts symposium volume of Arachnology, with image of John Murphy

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!

War in Ukraine

Ukrainian flag with dove of peace

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. 

John Murphy and Mike Roberts Memorial Symposium

Pioneering women arachnologists from Prof Rosemary Gillespie's Symposium talk

Huge thanks to the small team who organised this symposium and to all the wonderful speakers for agreeing to celebrate with us the lives of John and Mike, and Frances Murphy. For those who missed it, the uniformly high quality, fascinating talks ranged across diverse topics including the role of women in arachnology (past, present and future), the origins of spiders in the geological record, how to measure spider diversity, revisions of certain genera and higher classifications, and spider phylogeography.

BAS grants

Conference image

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.