<a href="../../%7Estrang15/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/spideyface2.jpg"><img class="alignleft" title="spideyface2" src="../../%7Estrang15/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/spideyface2-215x300.jpg" alt="" width="215" height="300" /></a>

Esteemed British news organs The Sun and The Daily Mail filled their 'weird animal' slot yesterday with pictures of a rare lichen crab spider that appears to have an angry human face on its back, The Sun just about winning the prize for <a href="http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3427874/Spied-a-man.html">best/worst  headline</a>.

The spider, Philodromus margaritatus, was discovered on the RSPB nature reserve at Arne, Dorset, and is rarely seen - according to the organisation it's the first found in the area for 35 years. Unfortunately, it's not quite the monster the tabloids' giant close-ups make it seem - the lichen crab spider only gets about as big as a 20p piece. For a calmer report of the discovery (and news of the RSPB's activities in in South-West England), here's the RSPB's <a href="http://www.rspb.org.uk/community/blogs/southwest/archive/2011/02/18/meet-philodromus-margaritatus.aspx">Way Out West blog</a>.