Signs of Spring?

23 February 2022

While the most recent cold front has brought temperatures down below zero again and with it a fresh blanket of snow, I cannot help but think of spring. Just a couple of days ago it was nearly 50 degrees in Mankato and that warm day woke up a few Boxelder Bugs in my home and reminded me that when the prey get moving, so do the spiders.

Since spider body temperature depends on the temperature of their surrounding environment, their bodies do not move as quickly in February and March as they do in May and June. That does not keep them from moving and on sunny days with little wind, you may be able to find spiders out looking for food, even walking across the snow. Fortunately, their prey is typically moving about at the same speed this time of the year.

Spiders in my home and in my building at work are also starting to move around a little. My daughter brought me a Steatoda triangulosa she found in the house the other day and I scared up several cellar spiders (including an adult male ready for breeding) and an Asian Wall Jumper when I was cleaning the greenhouse the other day. I also found a dead Woodlouse Hunter (Dysdera crocata) in the hallway that was pretty dessicated.

Enjoy the snow melting and the birds singing, but keep an eye out for those waking spiders too!

Happy spidering!

Julkaistu helmikuu 23, 2022 04:58 IP. käyttäjältä cheins1 cheins1

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