​MSP Angus Macdonald joins a team of conservationists to spot a rare jumping spider near Stirling

MSP Angus Macdonald recently joined various nature conservationists to help find the rare bog sun-jumper spider near Stirling.

The team included staff and volunteers from Buglife Scotland, Butterfly Conservation Scotland and the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative (IFLI).

The bog sun-jumper spider can only be found on a few bogs near Stirling and one in Wales, as it has evolved to live in wet, acidic conditions and can’t survive anywhere else.

The spider is tiny and the best way of finding it is to use a modified leaf-blower to hoover the bog.

Over 80% of lowland raised bogs in Scotland have been damaged or destroyed in the last 200 years as a result of drainage for various agricultural reasons. This has caused many species such as this spider to lose their habitat.

It also has a severe environmental impact as damaged bogs produce large amounts of greenhouse gases.

Angus Macdonald commented: “I was delighted to take part in the survey at Wester Moss, and join the hunt for the bog sun-jumper spider. We must do all that we can to protect their environment.

“As species champion for the bog sun-jumper spider I will to continue to raise the plight of this little beauty at every opportunity.”

Buglife Scotland conservation officer Dr Scott Shanks said: “Many thanks to Angus for all his work in the Scottish Parliament helping to raise awareness of the importance of Scotland’s peatlands for wildlife, flood-prevention and carbon storage.”

The survey was part of a series of free events in IFLI’s Forth Nature Counts project. The IFLI team also wants to encourage people to record their own wildlife sightings via an online form.