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 walked into the kitchen the other day and there was a giant wolf spider right in the middle of the floor. My first thought was, who got loose, because I live on the third floor, far from the ground, and I have six wolf spiders right now. The one in the kitchen was a... 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 →
This is a story about luck, transformation, and opportunities (or the lack thereof) in the life of a peculiar spider, Neospintharus trigonum. These spiders are in the Theridiidae family AKA comb-footed spiders and/or cobweb spiders. I found one in my backyard (Pgh) in mid-May. I only spotted this speck of a spider because it was... Continue Reading →
It's hard to find spiders in winter around here. During winter hikes, I casually search by peeking beneath loose bark and flipping over an occasional rock or log (and putting it back in place after). Sometimes, I get lucky. Most of the time I find nothing. The types of spiders I most often DO find... Continue Reading →
Single male spider seeking mature female. Must have pitted carapace, be between 6 and 7 mm, and have white "T" marking on the front of the abdomen. Likes to hang out, do ropes courses, and enjoys romantic insect dinners at twilight.*** I was visiting family in the Jefferson Hills area south of Pittsburgh over the winter... Continue Reading →
The "slower" days of winter in the spider world aren't slower because there aren't any spiders to find, they're slower because they're harder to find. I did a few sweep net samples in November and December in Frick Park to see what was out there and scooped up some spiders that were new to me.... Continue Reading →
False WIDOW? Right away, people get nervous about the name. It's the perfect cue for scary music and another reason to be afraid of spiders. But it's not. The first thing everyone wants to know is, "Are they venomous?" All spiders, except for the family Uloboridae are venomous, so when an article boasts, "VENOMOUS SPIDERS... Continue Reading →
On a mild day at work in early April, a spider appeared seemingly out of nowhere (as they usually do) in the cafeteria. I could tell it was a wolf spider (family Lycosidae) by its shape and characteristic eye pattern, but I wasn't sure which kind. There are a whole bunch of wolf spiders in... Continue Reading →
What the heck is "Spider Camp"?? It popped up this past spring (2018) on the American Arachnological Society facebook page: "Spider Biology summer course at Stone Lab (Ohio State University) - can be taken as a workshop". I applied immediately. This endeavor instantly became my summer highlight. I could not wait! I have never taken a... Continue Reading →
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