The Manx Wildlife Trust is the leading nature conservation charity in the Isle of Man.

It protects the fragile local wildlife by creating living landscapes, living seas and encouraging and fostering a society where nature matters.

Nearly 50 years after it was first established, Manx Wildlife Trust’s work continues unabated.

Both the plight of our native wildlife and the importance of nature conservation, both here in the island and elsewhere, have never been higher.

To help us, we need you to be our eyes and ears out there, both in the countryside and at home!

In order for us to carry out this vital work we are asking the public to help us by becoming citizen scientists and reporting back on the wildlife which they may see, either when they are out for a walk, working or playing in the garden or looking around the house.

Sometimes we might ask for sightings of seemly very common species and plants and animals that you may see all the time when you are out and about.

However, this can often give us important information about the spread of certain species and how their lifestyles and natural life cycles are being influenced by things like climate change.

This month we are working in conjunction with the Eight Legs of Man Spider group, run by arachnid enthusiast James Dernie who has sent out a request for help and information on the well-known ’Daddy Long Legs’ from all you citizen scientists out there.

James is hoping that those of you who are provide such brilliant help to the Manx Wildlife Trust will also lend his group a hand.

’Please help us out with a species survey we are helping with from the British Arachnological Society to try and build up a better idea of the numbers the island has of a,particular species of spider’ asked James on the ’Eight Legs of Man Spider group’ Facebook page.

This month the spider group are looking for information about a commonly-found spider, known by the Latin name Pholcus phalangioides, better known as a cellar spider or more familiarly-known as Daddy Long Legs.

There are actually three types of cellar spiders in the UK, of which two are commonly found in homes.

First, there is the daddy long legs spider, whose body looks like a comma shape.

You have to be careful, however, as these are not to be confused with the crane flies, which can also be called Daddy Long Legs, which you will see flying about with its very thin body and long, hair-like legs.

Also, be careful of mistaking it for the harvest man spider, which, more confusingly, is also sometimes known as a Daddy Long Legs.

Another type of cellar spider is the wine cellar spider, which has a body that is rounder and darker than its head.

These spiders hang motionless in criss-cross webs, vibrating rapidly if they are disturbed.

They also hunt by using their long legs to throw their webs at prey, which become wrapped and entangled in the silk and enables them to capture its prey from a safe distance.

Not particularly fussy eaters, these spiders feed on flies, bees, wasps, other spiders and even other Daddy Long Legs when food is scarce.

As with most spiders, the females tend and nurture their eggs by holding their egg sac in their jaws.

You will often find them living in houses, garages, garden sheds or barns and they tend to build their webs in undisturbed areas in buildings such as cupboards, attics and cellars, which is where they get their name cellar spider from.

James would like any sightings to be messaged to him via Facebook.com/groups/ EightLegsofMann

He will need a photo of the spider (please ensure the picture is clear and the full body), what type of environment you found it in (for example, in a cupboard), and your postcode.

l Please also keep reporting any wildlife to wildlife@ manxwt.org.uk,

Together we can help and make a difference to Manx Wildlife.

by Mike Wade

Twitter:@iomnewspapers