found this pretty lady by my window. (Marpissa muscosa?)

another sketchbook spread with critters

Four Spot Orb Weaver, Araneus quadratus Canon 400D EF 100 2.8 f/7.1 1/320 iso: 800 Celakovice-Jirina, Czech Republic 9/24/2010

I am learning that there are so many jumping spiders.  Here is a very tiny one.  Again, a part of the biodiversity of the Beltsville Research Center where a 200 acre train yard for the MAGLEV project is proposed.   Photo by Anders Croft

There are several friends of this boy’s species in a tunnel near my house!!!! I believe the ID is Furrow Orb Weaver- Larinioides Cornutus! This one is a mature male (look at those boxing glove palps!!!) and he’s one of 3+ I saw in the tunnel making/maintaining their webs and eating their meals!

19 June 2018

🦂 Leiurus quinquestriatus (Deathstalker Scorpion) 🦂 🦂 🦂 CLASSIFICATION: Phylum- Arthropoda Subphylum- Chelicerata Class- Arachnida Order- Scorpiones Family- Buthidae Genus- Leiurus Species- quinquestriatus 🦂 🦂 🦂 DISTINGUISHING FEATURES: Adult size- 3.5 to 4.5 inches Growth Rate- medium/fast speed Lifespan- approx. 8 to 10 years Temperament- aggressive & nervous Venom Level- 5 (1 = mild, 2 = moderate, 3 = significant, 4 = extreme, 5 = deadly) 🦂 🦂 🦂 DISTRIBUTION: Geographic Range- Northeastern Africa, especially Egypt (west to Algeria & Niger, south to Sudan, & east to Somalia) Habitat Type- desert/scrubland Habit- terrestrial/burrowing 🦂 🦂 🦂 CARE: Housing- 2.5 gal terrarium or equivalent sized plastic tub with screen vents for single adult. Substrate- fine desert sand (small amounts of bark or coconut mulch can be mixed in) Decor- a couple pieces of cork bark or desert rock for hiding spots. Temperature- 86° to 95° F Night Temp.- 68° to 77° F (Desert species experience large variation between day & night temperature ranges) Humidity- 40 to 50%, water dish unnecessary, scorpions can drink from occasional partial mist droplets. (Desert species get most moisture from prey) Diet- crickets, cockroaches, and most feeder insects. Activity- nocturnal Level of Difficulty- expert 🦂 🦂 🕷 🕸 #scorpion #deathstalker #deathstalkerscorpion #desertscorpion #expert #arachnid #chelicerata #arachnidae #buthidae #scorpionbreeding #classification #study #arachnology #entomology #venom #bugs #cheliceratastudy