a journal about spiders found around Western PA
Below are a dozen spider sacs pictured with their adult counterparts. The range is eastern US, mostly Western PA, but I frequently visit relatives in Florida and the Carolinas so there are some representatives from there. Most of the sacs pictured were made or hatched in captivity so I could get an identification. Sometimes, what... Continue Reading →
I typically don't write about tarantulas, but SpiderMentor wouldn't be SpiderMentor without mentioning Chandra, the chaco golden knee tarantula (Grammastola pulchripes), who was my go-to gal for educational programs and events. Sadly, she passed away this month (October 2023) of old age. With her large size and beautiful markings, she'd easily get everyone's attention and... Continue Reading →
Hazelwood Green is an urban brownfield that sits between the north shore of the Monongahela River and Irvine Street about 4 miles southeast of downtown Pittsburgh. Its 178-acres have been revitalized while preserving relics from the area's steel industry. The roads and sidewalks have been built complete with trees and ornamental grasses, but most of... Continue Reading →
If you have a basement, like most of us in Western PA do, you probably have your very own population of these cool, harmless spiders. Commonly called barn funnel weavers, Tegenaria domestica are large (ten millimeters from head to abdomen), brown spiders that make flat webs with a tunnel in a corner or crevice. They... 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 →
This is part two of a previously published post, Murder Mystery in the Spider House. It started like it did last time. It was a sunny summer day here in Pittsburgh. The windows were open and the sheer curtains were billowing in the breeze. One of the windows doesn't have a screen and I usually... Continue Reading →
The crunchy ground on a cold February afternoon was holding everything captive except for the chickadees and squirrels. My hike was purposeful. I was keeping up a good heart rate, rhythmically breathing in icy air and exhaling vapor. At the top of a hill, I stopped to take in the view. I could see the... 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 →
Chapter One - Nah-uh (Pittsburghese for "No way") It may come as a relief to our locals in Western PA that recluse spiders (Loxosceles genus) are rarely found here. We are too far north of their natural range. Within the recluse spider's natural range, which is mostly the southern midwest, they are commonly found in... Continue Reading →
I don't expect to find many spiders in Pittsburgh during February, but right in front of me in the middle of a snowy trail I found a ghost spider. Ghost spiders are harmless, roaming hunters that are most often found on vegetation. Their average size is 3 - 8.5 mm depending on species. They are... 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 →
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