Hey Hey, it’s SPIDERDAY again! The day of the week in which you can find some links about wonderful Arachnids, from last week. (you can check out past editions here).

Here’s a stunning jumping spider: Habronattus americanus (by Sean McCann)

Some spidery links:

• Here’s a wonderful post about behavioural observations of mating strategies of jumping spiders (including the species featured in the photograph above). I especially like how this work was done under natural conditions.
• Spiders are raining down on parts of Australia (lucky them, I say!)
• Lots of spidery things happening in Australia: Here’s a post about how rainfall is ‘flushing out’ funnel web spiders… but they are needed for venom collection! Call your local arachnologist if you find one!
• An artist turns spider webs into amazing sculptures. Wow.
• Here’s som amazing art by Christi Belcourt, and if you scroll down you will see “Grandmother Spider”.
• Don’t know how I missed this paper back in January - looks fascinating! Community assembly on remote islands: a comparison of Hawaiian and Mascarene spiders

The other Arachnids:

Ticks: you should watch out for these. Photo by Alex Wild.

• Here’s an an excellent post about “Tickspotters” - resources to understand ticks, understand prevention. Here’s a related link that provides excellent Tick identification guides. Why all of this now? It’s Lyme Disease Awareness month, that’s why.
• Male mites are “not so clever” in showing preference for dead females.
• Here’s a report about how the destructive (to honey bees) Varroa mite *almost* made it to Australia.
• Some pretty incredible life history here: Matriphagy in pseudoscorpions (with Videos).

To finish, check out this Tweet: yes, folks, spiders eat spiders.

Thanks for following along! Keep me apprised of neat Arachnid stories, and I’ll include them in next week’s Spiderday.

© C.M. Buddle (2015)