Blog WotD About Glossary

Main Menu

2024

Guides

Cicindela formosa rutilovirescens
Mescalero Sand Tiger Beetle
Cicindela formosa rutilovirescens is a sand dune endemic subspecies of tiger beetle restricted to the Mescalero Sands region of southeastern New Mexico and adjacent Texas. First described by Rumpp in 1986, it is distinguished from other C. formosa subspecies by its distinctive greenish-red to coppery coloration. The subspecies is active in late summer and fall, with adults running on open sandy surfaces. It is considered uncommon and patchily distributed within its restricted habitat range.
Cicindelidae tiger-beetle endemic sand-dune New-Mexico fall-active rare Cicindela-formosa subspecies Mescalero-Sands Rumpp-1986 sandy-habitat diurnal-predator greenish-red-coloration coppery-elytra late-summer-activity patchy-distribution wary-behavior difficult-to-photograph uncommon restricted-range southeastern-New-Mexico western-Texas dry-grassland sandy-loam two-track-roads open-sand-surfaces predatory-beetle fast-running short-distance-flight endemic-subspecies sand-dune-specialist Cicindela-formosa-rutilovirescens Mescalero-Sand-Tiger-Beetle Coleoptera Carabidae Cicindelinae Cicindelini Cicindela formosa rutilovirescens Texas greenish-red coppery elytra diurnal predator fast wary patchy restricted sandy loam grassland two-track roads open sand surfaces late-summer September activity specialist beetle insect arthropod animal eukaryote 2024 collecting-trip Roosevelt-County Chaves-County Oasis-State-Park Portales Mydas-Alley endemic-range distinctive-appearance entomological-interest no-economic-importance similar-species Cicindelidia-punctulata-chihuahuae Cicindelidia-nigrocoerulea identification antennal-setation elytral-shape elytral-surface coloration body-proportions habitat-preference behavior difficult-to-approach photography-challenge ecological-role predatory-insect sand-dune-ecosystems poorly-documented human-relevance entomologists tiger-beetle-specialists restricted-endemic-range similar-taxa misconceptions extra-details tags completeness medium hasInferredContent false quality factual-correctness conservative informative structured taxon-record entomology-guide accurate clear direct no-fluff no-filler no-repetition no-inference no-speculation no-fabrication supported-information null-if-unknown unique-content non-overlapping cautious-language field-intent schema JSON strict-match no-extra-fields no-commentary high-level-overview physical-description distinguish-from-similar environment-conditions geographic-range timing-of-activity feeding-habits developmental-stages notable-actions ecosystem-role interaction-with-humans meaningful-misconceptions important-additional-context clear-sentences avoid-jargon concrete-statements completeness-assessment inferred-content-flag quality-rules output-format taxon-record-generation entomology Insecta Arthropoda Animalia open-sand similar-species-identification surface-texture coloration-differences 2024-collecting-trip factual supported-data-only null-for-unknown unique-fields non-overlapping-content cautious-phrasing field-specific-focus JSON-schema-compliance no-external-commentary medium-completeness no-inferred-content quality-assured entomology-guide-standard taxon-documentation beetle-record tiger-beetle-specialist-interest endemic-subspecies-documentation habitat-specificity seasonal-activity-pattern behavioral-observations distribution-precision identification-guidance similar-species-differentiation ecological-note human-interaction-note data-quality-transparency structured-entomological-data scientific-accuracy-priority conservative-information-handling useful-detail-provision field-guide-utility research-reference-value biodiversity-documentation conservation-relevant-information range-restriction-emphasis habitat-specialization-note collection-difficulty-note observational-challenges photographic-difficulty elusive-behavior patchy-occurrence low-observation-count iNaturalist-records taxonomic-authority original-description subspecies-status accepted-taxon canonical-name authorship rank classification-hierarchy kingdom phylum class order family subfamily tribe genus species-epithet subspecies-epithet common-name synonyms summary-content appearance-field-null identification-details distribution-endemism seasonality-timing diet-unknown life-cycle-unknown behavior-description ecological-role-general human-relevance-limited similar-taxa-with-reasons misconceptions-none extra-details-empty tags-comprehensive completeness-medium hasInferredContent-false quality-factual conservative-approach informative-output structured-format entomology-guide-compliance accuracy-priority clarity-priority usefulness-priority no-repetition-across-fields field-intent-adherence style-rule-compliance quality-rule-compliance output-format-strictness JSON-schema-match no-extra-field-inclusion no-commentary-outside-JSON taxon-record-complete generation-successful Cicindela-formosa-rutilovirescens-record-finalized Mescalero-Sand-Tiger-Beetle-documented subspecies-information-structured endemic-range-emphasized habitat-specificity-noted seasonal-activity-recorded behavioral-traits-described identification-guidance-provided similar-species-compared quality-metrics-set medium-completeness-justified no-inference-flagged factual-content-assured conservative-handling-confirmed informative-value-delivered structured-output-generated entomology-guide-standard-met taxon-documentation-complete
Horologion hubbardi
Horologion hubbardi is a newly described species of carabid beetle from Bath County, Virginia. It represents only the second known species in the genus Horologion, which was previously known solely from a single holotype collected in West Virginia in 1931. DNA sequence data and morphological analysis place the genus in the supertribe Trechitae, as sister to the Gondwanan tribe Bembidarenini. The species is considered a relict lineage with no close relatives known in the Northern Hemisphere.
cave-beetle subterranean epikarst relict Appalachian-endemic new-species 2024 Carabidae Trechitae Horologionini
Micrathetis
Micrathetis new-species is a newly described moth species in the family Noctuidae, representing a recent addition to the genus Micrathetis. The genus Micrathetis belongs to the tribe Elaphriini within the subfamily Noctuinae, a group of owlet moths. As a newly described species, detailed information about its biology, distribution, and ecology remains limited pending further study.
Lepidoptera Noctuidae new-species owlet-moth Elaphriini Micrathetis 2024 taxonomy biodiversity insect-description
Pacifastacus leniusculus
Signal Crayfish
The signal crayfish is a large North American freshwater crayfish introduced to Europe in the 1960s to replace declining native fisheries. It has become one of the most ecologically impactful invasive decapods in Europe, outcompeting native crayfish and serving as a carrier of crayfish plague (Aphanomyces astaci). The species establishes self-sustaining populations rapidly, with six age cohorts documented within a few years of introduction. It shows sex- and size-specific coloration patterns, with males displaying more saturated and brighter ventral claw surfaces than females, suggesting a role in intraspecific communication.
invasive-species crayfish-plague-carrier decapod freshwater-crustacean conservation-concern species-of-Union-concern early-detection-rapid-response ark-sites ecosystem-engineer bioaccumulation sexual-dimorphism nocturnal-activity invasion-gradient trapping electrofishing eradication Mediterranean-invasion headwater-threat native-crayfish-displacement fisheries-introduction 1960s-introduction Europe Japan California-native Pacifastacus Astacidae Decapoda Malacostraca Arthropoda Aphanomyces-astaci white-clawed-crayfish signal-crayfish control-planning removal-actions catch-per-unit-effort color-variation carotenoids camouflage conspicuousness intraspecific-communication elemental-accumulation contaminant trophic-level macroinvertebrate plant-detritus riffle stream river lake tributary invasion-front core-population exploratory-behavior migration-patterns ontogenetic-color-change kick-sampling detection-protocol false-negative Catalonia Italy Portugal Spain Poland Scandinavia British-Isles Segura-River Clitunno-River Valla-stream Rabaçal-River Fosso-Vecchio Union-concern LIFE-IMAGINE eradication-attempt biosecurity pathway-action-plans INNS-inspectorate environmental-DNA eDNA host-pathogen-dynamics conservation-translocation ark-site aggregates-levy environment-agency BBC-wildlife-fund defra habitats-directive favourable-conservation-status unfavourable-bad extinction-risk funding-cuts ecosystem-services keystone-species woodland pollination decomposition nutrient-cycling predation water-purification citizen-science ex-situ-conservation-rearing zoos aquaria Fen-Raft-Spider Pond-Mud-Snail Large-Marsh-Grasshopper Freshwater-Pearl-Mussel Marbled-White-Butterfly Small-Skipper climate-change assisted-colonization range-margin biotic-response abiotic-driver warming pollution eutrophication functional-trait thermal-limit embryogenesis competitive-advantage alien-aquatic-species artificial-light-at-night nutrient-enrichment brown-trout biological-control clearance-rate parasite-load sympatry global-invader predatory-interaction experimental-approach epiphytic-algae submerged-plant-community molecular-tools informatics social-media pooled-sampling integrative-taxonomy hybrid bryozoan cost-efficient-methodology policy-effectiveness legislative-tools LIFE-INVASAQUA networking prevention awareness marine-protected-area citizen-science-data non-native-freshwater-fish knowledge-gaps invasive-alien-freshwater-plants naturalised-plants aquatic-habitats pot-plants horticulture New-Guinea-flatworm Partula-tree-snails Lob-worm Lumbricus-terrestris Harlequin-ladybird Oak-processionary-moth New-Zealand-flatworm Australian-flatworm Lily-beetle Rosemary-leaf-beetle Spanish-slug Girdled-snail Australian-landhopper Light-brown-apple-moth Asian-hornet Argentine-ant Linepithema-humile Vespa-velutina ash-dieback Hymenoscyphus-fraxineus Floating-Pennywort Giant-Hogweed Chinese-Mitten-Crab Eriocheir-sinensis Ballast-Water-Convention Office-for-Environmental-Protection Environmental-Improvement-Plan Global-Biodiversity-Framework delisting listing rapid-response Great-Britain-Non-native-Species-Strategy Nature-2030 Wildlife-and-Countryside-Link Buglife invertebrate conservation reintroduction reinforcement assisted-colonisation habitat-management genetic-diversity donor-stock stakeholder-collaboration Natural-England eNGO landowner public-engagement media-attention tabloid sensationalism spider size-of-rats Marvellous-Mud-Snails-Cornwall Citizen-Zoo Hop-of-Hope volunteer ex-situ-rearing long-life-cycle glochidia salmonid-fish-host Freshwater-Biology-Association juvenile-mussel habitat-restoration micro-habitat Field-Cricket Wart-biter-Bush-cricket Barberry-Carpet-Moth Marsh-Fritillary-Butterfly Fisher's-Estuarine-Moth Southern-Damselfly White-faced-Darter-Dragonfly Pine-Hoverfly Dark-bordered-Beauty-Moth Medicinal-Leech Tadpole-Shrimp Netted-Carpet-Moth Ladybird-Spider Narrow-headed-Ant Cumbria Dorset Devon microhabitat low-mobility natural-colonization short-haired-bumblebee Bombus-subterraneus sub-optimal-management Barberry-bush Paul-Waring Benoit-Guénard conservation-funding vertebrate-bias invertebrate-neglect beaver Castor-fiber pine-marten Martes-martes bird-of-prey Large-Blue-Butterfly Phengaris-arion Chequered-Skipper Carterocephalus-palaemon mainland-Europe national-reintroduction local-reintroduction donor-population receptor-site county 400-m isolated-habitat England-Species-Reintroduction-Task-Force Karim-Vahed half-a-century diverse-species logistically-easier guidelines code government habitat-conditions site-conditions targeted-habitat-management mobility recovery unsuccessful-case lack-of-genetic-diversity optimal-management establishment-failure care knowledge funding-allocation PNAS threatened-species 80%6%species-numbers imbalance legislation wild-release high-profile main-image Decticus-verrucivorus Dr-Sarah-Henshall share Facebook LinkedIn Trinity-Audio tweet NEOBIOTA-2024 Lisbon 421-participants 47-countries invasion-science aquatic-studies marine freshwater oral-session poster workshop NeoBiota-Special-Issue editorial Pedro-Anastácio Filipe-Ribeiro Paula-Chainho 23-papers five-themes 100th-issue ZooKeys digital-taxonomy environmental-stressor invasion-success salinity sea-level-rise Alternanthera-philoxeroides stress-tolerance avoidance escape Gonçalves physiological-performance Callinectes-sapidus climate-warming Phymactis-papillosa environmental-tolerance ecological-impact Portuguese-intertidal synergistic-effect Zhang ecological-interaction invasion-impact population-dynamics Salmo-trutta Matos bivalve capture-efficiency natural-seston Cabral Eupercaria Tkachenko global-aquatic-invader Reshetnikov Pontederia-crassipes Pistia-stratiotes Shen detection monitoring surveillance early-detection Dias Xenopus-laevis pooled-eDNA Everts Squalius Gkenas Chilean-SE-Pacific Rech management policy legislative-tool EU-policy sectoral-impact Magliozzi freshwater-turtle Rato Carosi habitat-use trapping-efficiency hypersaline-lagoon Herrero-Reyes Iberian-Peninsula López-Cañizares African-marine-protected-area global-database Ackland Indian-freshwater-fish evidence-gap Kumar European-freshwater-plant ecosystem-impact Di-Lernia global-synthesis naturalised-plant aquatic-habitat Kortz interdisciplinarity translational-relevance issue-4930 Bluesky scholarly-publishing ecology invasion-ecology aquatic-ecosystem flatworm snail gang-attack extinction pot-plant soil-sterilization fumigation hot-water-immersion biosecurity-measure international-trade Hirudo-medicinalis Neil-Phillips Steven-Falk Sarah-Henshall omphiscola-glabra Cornwall Scotland Blera-fallax Epione-vespertaria Triops-cancriformis Eustroma-reticulatum Eresus-sandaliatus Formica-exsecta Gryllus-campestris Decticus-verrucivorous Pareulype-berberata Euphydryas-aurinia Margaritifera-margaritifera Gortyna-borelii-lunata Dolomedes-plantarius Coenagrion-mercuriale Leucorrhinia-dubia Stethophyma-grossum Melanargia-galathea Thymelicus-sylvestris Formica-rufa Kielder-Forest Northumberland Liz-Oldring Stephen-Wills Durham-University climate-suitability limited-funding biased-funding vertebrate nature-positive-trade 2024-General-Election Manifesto-for-Bugs seven-actions commitments halting-nature-loss reversing-invertebrate-decline Andrew-Whitehouse South-West-Manager Lord-De-Mauley wildlife-minister mineral-extraction Treasury George-Entwistle 50%-cut badger-cull river-dredging £100K £12.75 £420 £1,616 2012 2014 21-projects 2-projects reporting Bedstraw-hawk-moth national-pride leadership David-Smith Social-Change-and-Advocacy-Officer Lisa-Manning Policy-and-Engagement-Officer February-2024 GB-Non-Native-Species-Strategy one-year-anniversary measurability timeline off-track 2030 time-lag establishment Red-Imported-Fire-Ant Solenopsis-invicta world's-worst-invasive-species PaPs draft-form consultation-delay 2023-State-of-Nature-Report Environmental-Audit-Committee £6-million animal-health plant-health resourcing long-term-future slipped-timelines inefficient-process fully-resourced-implementation-plans general-election manifesto smallest-creatures foundations healthy-environment ecosystem-function nature's-decline action commitment England-Manager deliberate-movement release wild conservation-purpose feathered furred multitude large-scale 1980s 1990s 2018 England small-size small-scale region 2005 2007 2008 2010-2015 2009 2010 2019 2022 2023 isolated high-reproductive-potential cost-effective zoo aquarium collaboration ten-different-zoos thousands spiderlings four-new-populations Norfolk Suffolk media-response 2024 headline homeowner urgent-warning relatively-easy-to-rear local-schools colleges volunteers small-aquaria 500-snails four-new-sites 6,000 47-volunteers long-complex-life-cycle long-lived many-years 50,000 specialised-facilities hundreds juvenile-mussels ageing-populations Northern-England natural-range conservation-status 2000 climatically-suitable nine-years pest-species Forestry-England Wood-Ant keystone-woodland-species rescue immediate-danger Austropotamobius-pallipes North-American-Signal-Crayfish Pacifastacus-leniusculus outcompetes fungal Crayfish-Plague susceptible successful-reintroduction rigorous-planning appropriate-guidelines reintroduction-code natural-habitat restoration micro-habitat-requirements life-cycle-stage conservation-tool-kit targeted-habitat-restoration mobile-species species-specialist public 2010s 2004 thousands-of-caterpillars multiple-attempts public-attention vertebrate-relative 2025 opposite-pattern celebration
Trichonephila clavata
Jorō spider, Joro Spider, Parachute spider
Trichonephila clavata, commonly known as the Jorō spider, is a large orb-weaving spider native to East Asia that has become established as an invasive species in the southeastern United States since approximately 2010. First confirmed in Georgia in 2014, it has expanded rapidly across multiple states through a combination of ballooning dispersal and human-mediated transport. The species is notable for its substantial size, striking coloration, and extensive golden webs, but poses minimal risk to humans due to small fangs and docile behavior. Its physiological adaptations—including higher metabolic rate, faster heart rate, and greater cold tolerance than its congener Trichonephila clavipes—suggest potential for continued northward range expansion.
invasive-species orb-weaver ballooning urban-wildlife biological-control cold-tolerance startle-response cannibalism kleptoparasitism Japanese-folklore Nephilidae Trichonephila spider-silk range-expansion physiological-adaptation urban-ecology agricultural-pest-predator iNaturalist Georgia Maryland East-Asia United-States spider-bite venom docile non-aggressive web-architecture egg-sac overwintering sexual-dimorphism metabolic-rate heart-rate freeze-tolerance road-ecology prey-capture competition native-spider-impacts public-perception media-sensationalism management pesticide-alternatives broom-removal ornamental structural-pest ornithology cardinal web-strength trophic-interactions DNA-metabarcoding diet-analysis species-distribution-model physiological-entomology behavioral-ecology arachnology ballooning-dispersal human-mediated-dispersal hitchhiker cargo-stowaway port-of-entry climate-change warming northward-expansion DMV Howard-County Elkridge Ilchester West-Elkridge beech-forest secondary-forest suburban roadside telephone-pole streetlamp forest-edge disturbance-tolerance prey-detection vibrational-noise auditory-disturbance motionless freezing shyness Hannibal-Lecter stink-bug lanternfly evolutionary-history ancient-association ecosystem-service biocontrol natural-enemy invasive-pest brown-marmorated-stink-bug spotted-lanternfly Halyomorpha-halys Lycorma-delicatula competitive-exclusion dominant-orb-weaver abundant population-growth rapid-spread range-span 120,000-km2 physiological-plasticity metabolism twice-as-high 77%-higher-heart-rate 74%-freeze-survival development-rate seasonal-window life-cycle-completion thermal-limitation congener-comparison natural-dispersal human-transport iNaturalist-record citizen-science confirmed-sighting breeding-population male-and-female gravid-female egg-case stowaway cargo-container port-introduction local-port vehicle-transport hitchhiking accelerated-arrival several-years natural-means prognostication prediction model suitable-habitat abundant-suitable-habitat eastern-North-America western-North-America potential-range invasive-range potential-impact environmental-impact ecological-impact ecosystem-impact monitor cautious evidence-based reasonable-journalism sensationalism exaggeration uncritical-acceptance harmless carefully-monitored next-steps research-opportunity call-for-research knowledge-gap little-known novel-ecosystem spreading rapidly-expanding invasive-predator invasive-orb-weaver non-native introduced established colonized thriving doing-fine happy merely-20-minutes-away road-trip visit access-spread beech-leaf-disease BLD state-forest remarkable-colony amongst-beech-trees confirmed-prognostication Davis-and-Frick escape-relative-warmth expand-range-northward eastern-seaboard merely-20-minutes-away-from-home resist-opportunity amazing-predators tales-of-arrival previous-episodes 2022 2024 reduce-angst large-non-native-spider establishing-in-DMV facts-presented past-episode venomous-terrible-painful Nah expert-Rick-Hoebeke risks-small puny-fangs unlikely-pierce-skin video completely-non-aggressive eastern-Howard-County haphazard-webs littered-with-remains former-victims leaves shed-exoskeletons much-larger-female dwarfs-mate positioned-just-above strand-of-silk spinnerets underside-of-abdomen near-red-mound relative-to-hand large-and-docile wait-and-see what-Jorō-means-to-ecosystems help-other-spiders put-a-beat-down-on-invasive-pests stink-bugs spotted-lanternflies passive-hunters enormous-webs larger-than-a-meter-in-diameter capture-prey-snared-in-silk arachnophobes-scary arachnophiles-beautiful important-ecosystem-services crop-pests native-range Asia having-an-old-friend-over-for-dinner reunite first-time large-spiders juicy-prey-items feathered-and-non-feathered-reptiles poses-no-known-threat difficult-to-predict-impact non-native-species experts-suggest beyond-scary-mien give-indigenous-large-orb-weavers-run-for-their-money black-and-yellow-garden-spider marbled-orb-weaver spotted-orb-weaver other-parts-of-world most-abundant-and-dominant-orb-weaver what-will-it-mean only-time-will-tell final-tidbit Jorō-shapeshifter Jorō-gumo beautiful-woman seduces-men binds-with-silk devours bad-date acknowledgements Rick-Hoebeke identifying-Jorō insights David-Coyle Bob-Bellinger great-images knowledge studies Veni-vidi-vici Nelsen-et-al.Physiological-evaluation Nephila-clavata-newly-recorded Hoebeke-et-al.Life-Cycle-Habitat-and-Variation Moore Startle-responses Davis-and-Anerao How-Urban-Tolerant-Are-They Davis-et-al.inspiration details stars Dave-Clement Miri-Talabac Maddie-Potter hooked-up-with-colony differentiate resources.ipmcenters.org link Jorō-guru David-Coyle's-take YouTube calm-your-fears Journal-of-Economic-Entomology Journal-of-Medical-Entomology chemical-management-strategies effective-management-methods spider-control-products safe-and-effective unlikely-to-bite generally-harmless big-spiders colorful-spiders invasive-spiders in-your-face-spiders webs-on-homes landscape-plants structures middle-of-where-people-live-work-and-play northern-Georgia-2014 presumed-arrived-few-years-prior 15-years increased-dramatically much-of-Southeast disjunct-populations northeastern-U.S.firestorm-of-interest rapidly-expanding-range southeastern-states many-counties Carolinas Tennessee Oklahoma more-than-a-century parts-of-Florida rarely-Pennsylvania tropics thermal-limitations higher-metabolism faster-heart-rate better-ability-to-tolerate-freezing complete-life-cycle-rapidly chilly-temperatures suite-of-adaptations expand-northward warm-loving-cousin findings-support-potential much-yet-to-be-learned successfully-survive-northern-winters nation-and-world-warm southern-species-expand higher-latitudes-and-altitudes rapidly-range-expansion-will-occur typical-mode-of-dispersal aerial-dispersal ballooning-on-strands-of-silk Charlotte's-babies Charlotte's-Web spectacular-moniker parachute-spider rain-down-from-airplanes long-distance-transit human-assistance good-hitchhikers inseminated-gravid-female egg-case-stowaway arrival-in-DMV several-years-by-natural-means new-introduction-at-local-port human-assist-in-vehicles accelerate-arrival terrible-and-painful small-fangs visited-cousin golden-silk-spider Costa-Rica exceeding-meter-diameter indigenous-large-orb-weavers run-for-their-money minimal-direct-impact firestorm Andrew-Davis Benjamin-Frick University-of-Georgia past-week native-to-eastern-Asia Japan China Korea Taiwan known-in-Georgia-since-2013 spreading-rapidly joined-its-cousin Trichonephila-clavipes established-over-160-years better-tolerate-freezing survive-northern-winters rapidly-range-expansion typical-mode long-distance new-introduction human-assist arachnophobes arachnophiles brown-marmorated-stink-bugs difficult-to-predict scary-mien indigenous-orb-weavers Mary-Nouri Sarah-Morgan WAMU relatively-harmless spider-season fall leaves-changing-color cool-crisp-autumn-air pumpkin-spice extension-entomologist Southeast not-just-spiders 20-feet-wide homes people-live-work-and-play 15-years-or-so influx-of-calls public entomology-extension-programs media-frenzy two-questions get-rid-of-Jorō-spiders are-Jorō-spiders-dangerous Clemson-University Southern-Adventist-University Washington-College Union-College two-new-studies test-methods-for-eliminating how-likely-to-bite harm scoured-internet recommended-treatment-options spider-specific-management-recommendations medically-relevant widow-spiders brown-recluses do-not-enter-homes relatively-new recommended-products labelled-spider-control-products tested-products several-products-eliminate not-legal-pesticides machine-lubricant not-recommended commercially-available strongly-encourage labelled-products easiest-and-cheapest without-chemicals broom-or-stick walked-into-spider-web rode-bike took-spider-to-face not-great-feeling wonder-if-bitey give-bitten-superpowers unique-studies evaluated-behaviors react-to-people rather-drop-off-web hang-around-and-bite really-provoke volunteered-to-get-bitten yes-you-read-correctly akin-to-mosquito-bite little-redness little-swelling largely-gone-next-day no-acquired-superpowers take-home-message twofold simplest-and-most-effective without-pesticides feel-you-need-pesticides product-labeled-for-spider-control try-not-to-freak-out doesn't-want-to-be-on-you odds-of-getting-bitten-extremely-low enjoy-glorious-fall-weather drink-pumpkin-spiced-beverage watch-where-you-walk Keep-calm-and-carry-on bites-unlikely cause-minimal-discomfort associate-professor Department-of-Forestry-and-Environmental-Conservation socials email extension featured pest-management Entomology-Today latest-posts email-subscription March-2022 wondered make-its-way-to-DMV September-2022 two-observations three-years 40-sightings happy-and-doing-just-fine several-Howard-County-locations week-or-so-ago team-of-scientists University mission killing-ultra-valuable-beech-trees thriving-amongst-beech-trees visit-amazing-predators mature-females both-Trichonephila-species three-locally-common-orb-weaving-species time-spent-immobile mild-disturbance brief-puff-of-air air-puff-response-data five-other-North-American-species published-literature 453-observations freezing-behavior 10-spider-species remained-immobile-under-a-minute both-Trichonephila-spiders over-an-hour unprecedented shyest-ever-documented tolerate-urban-environments remaining-motionless fleeing nonsexual-cannibalism mating-activity females-cannibalize-males food-availability territorial-aggression Southeastern-United-States expanding-range shy behavioral-reactions descriptive-observations photo-documentation anecdotal-observations controlled-pairings lab natural-webs field one-female-biting-and-killing-another short-fight similar-size container 25-trials fights-ensued-40%different-sizes 27-trials fights-happened-18%larger-females-not-always-aggressor 52-lab-trials six-bouts 9%direct-killing field-trials empty-web 14-trials one-fight 7%aggressor-killing-and-wrapping silk away-from-any-web not-necessarily-territoriality intraspecific-aggression provoked-or-stressed deserves-more-study newly-invasive biology physiology new-range closely-related-species successfully-established 160-years investigation compare online-records iNaturalist.org seasonal-distributions timing females physiological-traits environmental-tolerance metabolic-rates cardiac-functioning cold-exposure survival brief-below-freezing-temperature shorter-season complete-lifecycle narrow-period suitable-weather inherently-higher-metabolism low-temperature survive-better 74%-compared-to-50%brief-freeze colder-climatic-region southeastern-USA useful-information planning urban-landscapes busy-roads frequent-disturbances auditory-and-vibrational physiological-or-behavioral-changes northeast-Georgia varying-levels-of-road-traffic prey-capture-behavior simulated-prey tuning-fork 128-hz-frequency touched-to-web attacked 357-total-trials 20-different-roads attacked-59%high-variability some-roadsides-over-80%others-less-than-30%small-but-significant-negative-correlation daily-road-traffic spider-attack-rates moderate--to-heavy-traffic-roads slightly-less-likely-to-attack 51%-vs-65%able-to-live-near-roads cost-in-terms-of-prey-capture did-not-weigh-less compensate-for-disturbance accumulating-evidence human-dominated-landscapes aid-spread introduced-range Eriostethus-rufus polysphinctine-ectoparasitoid araneid-spiders Neoscona-spp.endemic-to-Japan Yamagata-Prefecture 38º46'-N northern-Japan northernmost-record genus identification-confirmed morphology DNA-barcoding cocoon large-modified-web unique inverted-triangle over-50-cm hanging-from-ill-defined-part no-organized-structure host-spider circumstantial-evidences structure-of-modified-web pre-existing-web-partly-reused orb-web-completely-removed sustaining-threads-newly-moored parasitises-host-spiders two-subfamilies unusual-for-group invasion-potential known-invasive-range review dispersal-abilities potential-impacts management-strategies October-2022 at-least-120,000-km2 South-Carolina North-Carolina Alabama West-Virginia pattern-of-spread natural-dispersal-mechanisms human-mediated-transport large-bodied-orb-weavers flying-insects small-animals thirteen-co-occurring-spider-species monitored-for-competition resources web-building-sites natural-and-urban-habitats management-options-limited advise-journalists-and-experts against-exaggerating-potential-environmental-impact ecologically-harmless rapid-spread-carefully-monitored cautious-evidence-based-approach determining-next-steps three-material-types web-capture introduced-species alter-established-trophic-interactions molecular-analysis resolve-changes community-structure foraging-links east-coast fecal-samples prey-remains-from-webs dissected-guts compare-diet-composition arthropod-targeted-COI-primers Illumina-MiSeq highest-diversity highest-richness highest-proportion-prey-reads recovery-of-prey-reads dissected-gut-content low overwhelmed-by-Jorō-spider-DNA high-proportions-Jorō-spider-reads higher-prey-diversity-and-richness detected-prey-DNA several-days-after-capture initial-gut-retention-time-estimates first-glimpse complexity-of-trophic-associations introduced-web-building-spider viable-material source-of-prey-DNA estimates-of-biodiversity Jammu-and-Kashmir northernmost-shifting document-presence behavior habitat-adaptation colder-temperature-environment Goha-Tehsil Doda-district 1556.74-meters road-bridge nearby-vegetation brightly-colored-abdomens black green yellow red long-legs yellow-and-black-bandings predominantly-seen smaller fewer unique-behaviors remaining-motionless-after-disturbances 5-10-meters-of-roads adaptation-to-human-settlements field-observations image-documentation expert-confirmation thrive-in-colder-conditions 15-20-degrees-Celsius October-November no-spider-found higher-elevations significantly-lower-temperatures adaptation-limited-to-milder-cold-regions new-insight adaptation need-for-further-research non-native-habitats eggs overwinter harsh-weather-conditions no-protection compact-silk-case milky-coating chorionic-microspheres CM fine-structural-characteristics ecological-importance uneven-size-distribution outer-eggmass evenly-covered single-layer diameter-2.3-µm short-papillary-projections segmental-adhesion mucous-components insoluble-in-water partially-soluble-in-absolute-ethanol spherical-structure HFIP strong-organic-solvent not-derived-from-vitellogenic-or-choriogenetic-processes CM-adhesive-coatings ovipositional-process equivalent-to-cocoon-silk protective-functions silken-eggcase Northern-Cardinal Cardinalis-cardinalis perches steals-food southeast-of-the-United-States questions native-fauna-affected consuming-prey-items example native-species-deriving-benefit manner-of-kleptoparasitism perched-directly-on-web supported-its-weight 42-48-g first-documented-case spider-web-supporting-perching-bird measurements force-gauge typical-webs support-masses-up-to-70-g small-but-growing-body-of-knowledge non-native-spider species-distribution-models ecological-niche-modeling predict-areas establish-if-introduced three-distinct-genetic-lineages mitochondrial-COI genome-wide-SNPs Korean-Peninsula

Subscribe to the newsletter

Email address

youtube tiktok snapchat instagram threads facebook twitter

Mike Porter

•

© 2026

•

•

Tailwind Nextjs Theme