Emanuele Biggi / Great Fen / Raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), adult female eating an invasive species of fish, Western mosquitofish, (Gambusia affinis), Alessandria, Italy, August.

Bernard Castelein / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) on Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium August

Alex Hyde / Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) female on heathland pool. Note wing of predated damselfly floating on water's surface under the spider. Dorset, UK. August.

Alex Hyde / Fen raft spider / Great raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) adult female. Norfolk Broads, UK, September. Vulnerable species.

Kim Taylor / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) male resting on water surface, Surrey, UK

Stephen Dalton / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) feeding on Stickleback fish prey, UK, Pisauridae

Stephen Dalton / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) feeding on Stickleback fish prey, UK, Pisauridae

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Female Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) with egg sac, Fliess, Naturpark Kaunergrat, Tirol, Austria, July 2008

Wild Wonders of Europe / Benvie / Female Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) carrying egg sac, Fliess, Naturpark Kaunergrat, Tirol, Austria, July 2008

Ingo Arndt / Fishing spider {Ancylometes bogotensis} on water surface, French Guiana

Dietmar Nill / Raft spider (Dolmedes fimbriatus) on water. Germany, Europe

Jim Brandenburg / Fishing Spider (Pisauridae) pair on moss, Minnesota

Nick Upton / Juvenile Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) on a small web spun on a Common hogweed (Heracleum sphondylium) seedhead, Catcott Lows National Nature Reserve, Somerset, UK. August.

David Tipling / Male Fen raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) balancing on water surface, Redgrave Fen, Suffolk, England, UK. June.

David Tipling / Fen raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), pregnant female, balancing on water surface, Redgrave Fen, Suffolk, England, UK. June.

Alex Hyde / Raft Spiders (Dolomedes fimbriatus) on surface of moorland pool. Highlands, Scotland, October.

Nick Garbutt / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) female on small moorland pond. Caledonian pine forest, Glen Strathfarrar, Scottish Highlands. Scotland. October.

Jussi Murtosaari / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) on web, guarding spiderlings until they are ready to disperse. Isojarvi National Park, Finland. August.

Bernard Castelein / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) with web on Rush (Juncus sp). Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium. September.

Bernard Castelein / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) with web on Rush (Juncus sp). Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium. September.

Mike Read / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) young amongst grass and rush stems, Arne RSPB Reserve, Dorset, England, UK, August.

John Cancalosi / Fen raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), female guarding babies in nursery web, England, UK, Endangered species

Nick Upton / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) juvenile among vegetation around a boggy pool, Studland Heath, Dorset, UK, July.

Nick Upton / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) juvenile hunting on vegetation around a boggy pool, Studland Heath, Dorset, UK, July.

Konrad Wothe / Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) withfemale Small Red-eyed Damselfly (Erythromma viridulum) prey on water surface, Upper Bavaria, Germany, May.

Nick Upton / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) juvenile with fly prey on a Cross-leaved heath (Erica tetralix) flowerhead in a bog, Studland Heath, Dorset, UK, July.

Will Watson / Fen raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) and Reed beetle (Donacia veriscolorea) on Broad-leaved Pondweed (Potamogeton natans), River, Volyn Oblast, Ukraine, May.

Jussi Murtosaari / Great raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), hunting its prey on the surface of water, Finland, May.

Jussi Murtosaari / Great raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) left, and fen raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus), Finland, May.

Will Watson / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) on Sphagnum, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. June.

Will Watson / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) on Sphagnum, Whixall Moss, Fenn's, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses National Nature Reserve, Shropshire, England, UK. June.

Bernard Castelein / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus), Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium. August

Emanuele Biggi / Great Fen / Raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), adult female holding egg sac, Alessandria, Italy. September.

Emanuele Biggi / Great or Fen Raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), adult female hunting from aquatic vegetation, Po river, Alessandria, Italy, August.

Emanuele Biggi / Great raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) young individual, Alessandria, Italy, May.

Emanuele Biggi / Fen raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) female protecting her spiderlings in her nursery web, Italy.

Emanuele Biggi / Great Fen / Raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), spiderlings on their nursery web, Alessandria, Italy, August.

Emanuele Biggi / Great or Fen Raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius), sub-adult eating a Wolf-spider (Pirata sp.), Alessandria, Italy, August.

Jussi Murtosaari / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus), female with egg sac, Finland, August.

Nick Garbutt / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) resting on water's surface. Nordtirol, Tirol, Austian Alps, Austria. July.

Bernard Castelein / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) on Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), Klein Schietveld, Brasschaat, Belgium August

Andy Sands / Raft spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) out of water resting on old heather stem, Surrey, England, UK, July

Alex Hyde / Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) male resting on the surface of a moorland pool. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, June.

Alex Hyde / Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) male resting on the surface of a moorland pool. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, June.

Alex Hyde / Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) male resting on the surface of a moorland pool. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, June.

Alex Hyde / Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) female resting on the surface of a moorland pool among stems of Horsetail (Equisetum sp.). Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, June.

Alex Hyde / Raft Spider (Dolomedes fimbriatus) female resting on the surface of a moorland pool. Nordtirol, Austrian Alps, June.