Typically, when one encounters a spider outside in springtime, the creature is teensy. Or, to use the technical term, itsy bitsy. Small spiders weaving small…
Furrow Spider
Zebra Jumping Spiders
Recently my nature coworkers and I got the chance to spend some time at Primrose Farm, another fine outdoor education facility operated by the St.…
Crab Spiders
It’s not often that you hear the words exquisite, pink, and camouflage come together in a sentence. It’s even rarer when “spider” is added to the narrative. But that’s exactly what happened during a recent walk at Fermilab when our group, gathered to learn about local bees, encountered a member of Thomisidae, the crab spiders.
Fishing Spiders
May 27, 2016 Fishing Spiders With the explosion of color that spring brings—the woodland wildflowers, the migrating warblers, the sheer greenness of the land—it’s only natural that some of us would be seeing spots before our eyes. I know I am. Lots of spots, in fact. Paired symmetrically along the back of Dolomedes triton, the
Six Spotted Fishing Spider
With the explosion of color that spring brings—the woodland wildflowers, the migrating warblers, the sheer greenness of the land—it’s only natural that some of us would be seeing spots before our eyes. I know I am. Lots of spots, in fact. Paired symmetrically along the back of Dolomedes triton, the six-spotted fishing spider. I encountered
Argiope Spider
“Let me show you something hideous!” My friend Mrs. Janet was pretty emphatic as she pulled her phone from her purse. While under different circumstances I might have been intimidated by her phrasing, in this case I was anything but. Because, as she scrolled through her photos, she muttered two of my very favorite words
Fishing Spider
June 25, 2015 Fishing Spider A young female fishing spider snacks on an ebony jewelwing damselfly. If you’ve ever traveled with teens or tweens (or me, for that matter) you know that food for the trip is a primary concern. Meals and snacks are planned just as carefully as the route and the restroom stops.
Jumping Spiders
November 21, 2014 Jumping Spiders With large eyes and fuzzy bodies, jumping spiders frequently are referred to as the ‘teddy bears’ of the spider world. About 350 species occur throughout North America. Ah, the teddy bear. What could be more comforting than this charming icon of childhood? Cuddly, wide-eyed and ever vigilant, teddy bears have
Wood Louse Spider
The woodlouse spider is noted for its deep red coloring and its large fangs, or chelicerae. Our cool and wet summer has led to an abundance of woodlice—a.k.a. sowbugs and roly-polies—and hence an abundance of woodlouse spiders. August 29, 2014 Woodlouse Spider Lousy. It’s a crummy term, even under the best of circumstances. That is,
Furrow Spider
May 9, 2014 Furrow Spider I don’t think Mother Goose will mind if I paraphrase her work just a bit: “Along came a spider So I sat down beside her And frightened Miss Spider away!” Typically, when one encounters a spider outside in springtime, the creature is teensy. Actually, I believe the technical term is