a journal about spiders found around Western PA
I volunteer at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History once a week. I get to go behind the doors that say, "Research Staff Only", into the backroom of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology (IZ), the place where researchers spend their days identifying and curating bugs. I love it there! It's like being in the library... Continue Reading →
I love Pittsburgh, but I'd love it even more if there was a northern version of this spider! Large, gentle, and a velvety chocolate brown (can range to black), this spider reminds me of a mini tarantula. The scientific name is even great - Kukulcania hibernalis. I know it looks crazy to say, but this... Continue Reading →
I was kneeling down on the floor sweeping cat-ejected kitty litter with a hand broom when I noticed a tiny, tan spider cruising along the floor. I'm talkin' TINY, like the head of a pin with legs. I only saw it because it was moving. A few hours prior, I caught a freely roaming juvenile... Continue Reading →
What makes for a good spider photo ID? Here are a few tips that will help if you're thinking of sending a photo to any type of social media group, nature app, or your friendly neighborhood "spiderologist". Identifying spiders to species by looking at a photo is very tricky and not as easy as you'd... Continue Reading →
I've been calling them "windowsill spiders" - small (~4mm), brown jumping spiders (Salticidae family) that appear against the white paint of the window sill as they scout for bugs. They were common enough, bland enough, and small enough that I never really gave them more thought than acknowledging that they were around. The face of... Continue Reading →
SpiderMentor 