a journal about spiders found around Western PA
"How do spiders always seem to come back to the same place after I vacuum?" a friend asked. I knew what she meant because I've seen the same thing in my own house. I never really paid attention to these spiders as far as how many or how often they return after vacuuming. They just... Continue Reading →
Of the four common types of spider webs, the orb web is the classic spiderweb. Its engineering beauty and perfection is unrivaled in the animal kingdom. Orb webs are composed of four basic parts: the frame, the radial threads (spokes), the hub, and the sticky spiral. Only the spiral is sticky. Spiders have the ability... Continue Reading →
I used to work at Fireborn Studios, a pottery studio in the Southside of Pittsburgh. Part of my job was packing and shipping pottery to wholesale accounts. The packing area was in the basement, a typical cobwebby, dusty, albeit dry basement with no windows. I would occasionally....okay, OFTEN get distracted by the bugs that would... Continue Reading →
It's that time of year! The crispy edges of summer, back to school, football, AND adult Argiope aurantia season. You may know her as the banana spider, garden spider, black and yellow spider, Steelers spider, or some other nickname, but we're all talking about the same lady. Yes, the spider you notice is the female of the species. Males... Continue Reading →
Spiders are arachnids. Depending on what source you look at, there are 10-12 different types of arachnids. Spiders are one type of arachnid or one order with the fancy name Araneae (pronounced a-RA-nee-ee). All arachnids have eight legs, two body parts (sometimes fused to look like one), never any antennae, and never any wings. In addition... Continue Reading →
Have you ever seen a fairly flat, mat-like web that spreads out from a funnel with a spider sitting at the opening of the funnel? I've heard kids call it a "cyclone web", which is a cool description. The web is actually a funnel web and the spider in it is called a funnel web... Continue Reading →
Spiders have eight legs and two palps. They are used to handle prey kinda like little arms. The palps are also important in reproduction and identification. If you see a spider with swollen palps that look like boxing gloves, it's a male. If they are smooth it's a female or an immature male who hasn't... Continue Reading →
Lynx is plural for lynx (I had to double check). I'll be writing about 3 lynx. One lynx is not a local. Lynx spiders are active hunters which can be found among grasses and woody shrubs in the day as well as night. The family name is Oxyopidae (pronounced ox-ee-OPP-idee) but lynx is so much easier and... Continue Reading →
I was in the restroom at South Park - an indoor building with an outdoor feel. There were harvestmen (daddy-long legs) loafing among the stalls and random bugs flying around. I noticed a weird spider on the wall, not a big spider, approximately 5 millimeters from head to end of the abdomen. It kind of... Continue Reading →
Just like a birder actively seeks out birds, I'm always on the look out for spiders. Most of the time, I look passively meaning I'm not using a sweep net or other trapping technique. Sometimes, the spiders simply find me. I have been that weirdo in the middle of the store aisle trying to... Continue Reading →
Kennywood is a southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans)Â I caught in Jacksonville, NC in July 2016. She was immature when I caught her, a LOT smaller and with white stripes on her abdomen in addition to the hour glass. The white faded after subsequent molts and now she's full grown at ~10mm. Kennywood was named by... Continue Reading →
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