During lockdown why not make it your mission to enjoy nature through your window.

Try to find time to just stand and stare through your window - why not get everyone in the family to join in?

Here at the Manx Wildlife Trust, we are keen to get people to engage with nature as it has been proven to improve mental health. Here’s a challenge for you, as the days are getting warmer, so the invertebrates are warming up and moving around too.

In particular you might find spiders hiding around your window frames outside and see their tell-tale webs appear.

Spiders are cold-blooded creatures as they don’t have a mechanism to regulate body temperature.

When it is cold outside the outdoor spiders enter a slowed-down state called diapause. In this state spiders may emerge on warmer days to hunt and feed on any insect prey that may be active during this time. So look for them, especially around the window frames that catch the sun.

Which spiders might you see?

Look out especially for the missing sector orb web spider, it has a very distinctive web which looks as if there is a triangular section missing (hence the name).

Running through the middle of this missing sector is usually a single line of silk which leads to the spider’s retreat so follow this thread to find it.

Missing sector spiders are a silver-grey colour with a brown oak leaf pattern on the abdomen. The legs are dark brown with light brown bands, and it is about 7mm in length.

If you find one then at this time of year you will probably be looking at a female spider.

You might also see a very messy web with a woolly-like appearance which is stuck to the wall. This is likely to be a lace web spider which is a medium-sized spider, usually brown and frequently with yellowish markings on the abdomen.

It is a bit early in the year to spot a zebra jumping spider, as these are usually out towards the end of April.

If you are frightened of spiders, these spiders might help you overcome that with their pair of enormous forward eyes.

It is a small spider, with a relatively large body and so-named for its black- and-white stripy pattern.

Look for these again on a sunny wall or windowsill, if you do find one waggle a finger behind them and they will spin round to take a closer look.

So do take time out to look for these amazing creatures, especially if they are busy making a web.

Post any photos you take onto Manx Wildlife Trust’s Facebook page using #closertonature as we love seeing them.

By Dawn Colley

Biodiversity Education Officer

Manx Wildlife Trust