For the past few summers I’ve taught a Spider Biology course (EEOB 5210) at The Ohio State University’s F.T. Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island in Lake Erie. The course will be offered again this summer (2016), from July 31 through August … Continue reading →
Some of our most common spiders are extremely variable in color. A few spiders can actually change color to match the background. The “flower spider” group of crab spiders are the most famous of these here in Ohio. They get … Continue reading →
Bolas spiders are among the most remarkable spiders in the world. These odd animals are in the family Araneidae, the orb weavers. But unlike the majority of species in this large family, they do not build an orb web. Instead, … Continue reading →
The Marbled Orbweaver (Araneus marmoreus) is one of the most common large orb weaving spiders in North America. It is particularly abundant in Ohio. Even so, many people here never notice them. I believe that this is because they live … Continue reading →
The other day as I was walking from the garden shed towards our house I surveyed some of our milkweed plants, hoping to find a Monarch Butterfly caterpillar. We have seen only a few caterpillars this year. That is better … Continue reading →