Workers told to protect Dunollie Castle spiders

WORKERS restoring a centuries-old castle in a £1.3 million project have been told that the building’s spiders must not be disturbed.

Dunollie Castle overlooking Oban Bay in Argyll and Bute. Picture: Contributed

• Restoration work on Dunollie Castle to ensure resident spiders are protected

• European cave spiders live in centuries-old castle in Argyll and Bute

Dunollie Castle is home to the Meta manardi - otherwise known as European cave spiders - which are among Britain’s largest species of spider, and live in an 8ft-deep window opening within the castle walls.

Refurbishment work will see the ivy removed from the castle’s exterior because of damage done to the stonework.

The castle, overlooking Oban Bay in Argyll and Bute, will require “six or seven” years of work, according to Mike Robertson, a conservation expert.

Robertson, who is secretary of the MacDougall of Dunollie Preservation Trust, said: “We are talking about work that could take six or seven years and the spiders will have to be specially protected.

“Basically it’s the darkness that they need, we can’t put bright work lights there. They will have to be kept in the dark, but it’s for the experts to decide how best to protect them.”

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