Wasp spider recorded in Cheshire for first time as species moves north

A striking yellow-and-black spider has turned up in Cheshire for the first time, giving conservationists another glimpse of how Britain’s wildlife is responding to a changing climate. The discovery was made during a biodiversity survey on the Chester Zoo estate, with the finding confirmed by an expert from the British Arachnological Society. According to Chester Zoo, the primary source for the discovery, the spider, nicknamed “Wendy”, is part of a species whose range has been moving northwards as warmer conditions become more common.A first record for CheshireThe spider is a wasp spider, Argiope bruennichi, an orb-weaving species recognised for the bold yellow, white and black pattern across the female’s abdomen. Its appearance can make it look more like a wasp than a spider, but the resemblance is only visual. The species is harmless to people and is not considered a threat to humans.