Clinging tightly to rocky shores and hidden within shallow tidal pools, beadlet anemones are among the most intriguing — and often overlooked — creatures of the coastline. Where do beadlet anemones live? This beautiful creature is a common sight in rockpools all around the UK, and are one of the few anemones which can live on the […]
Tag: jumping spider
“Imagine a rainbow-coloured kitten, shrink it down to the size of your fingertip and add a few more legs.” It’s time to rethink these tiny and cute killers
If I asked you to imagine a spider, what would be your first thought? For most people, that imaginary creature would be solid, black and hairy, with long legs and piercing fangs, perhaps skittering about in the depths of a dark cave. I’d like to suggest an alternative to what the archetypal spider looks like. […]
“It’s classic wolf in sheep’s clothing.” Meet the most cunning and deceptive animals and plants that are masters of deadly disguises
Mimicry can be found everywhere you look, or listen, in the natural world. Many species copy the signals or cues of others in order to gain advantages. Scientists continue to be fascinated by the study of these evolutionary adaptations that were first described in the 19th century. What is honest mimicry? In honest mimicry, two […]
Jumping Spiders Are Winning Hearts as Unlikely Pets
Jumping spiders, once dismissed as pests, are now becoming popular pets, thanks to their curious personalities and surprising cuteness. According to NPR, breeders across the U.S. are reporting skyrocketing demand, especially from women who often started out arachnophobic before falling in love with these tiny “spoods.” Social media clips of their head tilts, colorful bodies, […]
Spiders ‘Smell’ Using Their Legs, Research Finds
Most spiders have eight legs, no ears and use fine leg hairs connected to nerve cells or their webs to hear sounds in their environment. But how do they smell? A new study by an international team of researchers has found that male spiders “smell” with their legs, using olfactory hairs — wall-pore sensilla — […]
It’s all arachnid-y in here
I just realized I have a pretty hefty backlog of photographs from this spring and summer still, which is cool since two of my lenses aren’t really working right now and I’m not sure when I can get them fixed. So today you will have spiders. Snazzy spiders. They’re not gonna hurt you, don’t worry. […]