Was absolutely wonderful to give a talk for the British Arachnology Society AGM over the weekend! It's always wonderful getting to share the wide breadth of techniques we're using with people so passionate about these spiders!

British Arachnological Society@britishspiders.bsky.social · 2mo ago

The second of the talks following our AGM was given by Rosy Christopher @envirosyment.bsky.social of Newcastle University. Titled Friend, Foe or Freeloader, it considered the relationship between Flower Crab Spiders (Misumena vatia) and the flowers it sits on. Available at youtu.be/Gada2vNhF7w?...

1/2 Here's one for Rosy Christopher @envirosyment.bsky.social who gave 1 of 3 great talks at our AGM yesterday. To contribute your observations to Rosy's Spider Spies PhD project on commensalism and Flower Crab Spiders Misumena vatia, visit foragingecology.com/spider-spies/ .....

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to give an entoLIVE talk for the @biologicalrecording.co.uk, over 600 people signed up to listen to me talk about my work on commensalisms, their ecological importance, and how Flower Crab spiders fit into it all. biologicalrecording.co.uk/2026/06/02/f...

Friend, Foe, or Freeloader? The Flower Crab Spider

The Flower Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) is a camouflage expert when it comes to hiding out on flower heads to capture prey. In this talk, Rose will introduce the ecology of these spiders, why it is…

biologicalrecording.co.uk

⏰ #FinalCall - abstract submission for #Ento26 closes tomorrow. If your draft is nearly there, now’s the time to finish and submit! Don’t miss the opportunity to: 🎤 Present your work 🌍 Join the international entomology community 💡 Be part of the conversation 🔽 buff.ly/oMvnU2G 📅 Deadline: 12 June

Deadline tomorrow - Submit your abstract now!

Be part of the programme for Ento26!

buff.ly

Cannot get over how gorgeous these ladies are, and can't wait to talk all about them on Tuesday! Crab spiders, commensalisms, Community science it'll be fab

Biological Recording Company@biologicalrecording.co.uk · 2mo ago

How does a spider choose its flowers? 🕷️🌸 Meet Misumena vatia – an ambush predator that hunts pollinators, takes down huge prey, and even changes colour to camouflage. Join @envirosyment.bsky.social on 2 June to see how modern ecology uncovers these secrets: 🔗 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1915221742...

Gorgeous lady camouflaged on a cow parsley plant! #spider #flowers #entomology #arachnology

It's that time of year again! and much like the Flower Crab Spiders, Spider Spies is coming out of hibernation and running a second year. So if you want to be involved in investigating these colourful spiders and their flower using habits head over to our website foragingecology.com/spider-spies/

🌸 Flowers + 🕷️ Flower Crab Spiders = surprise predator! Learn how these spiders ambush pollinators & shape plant–insect interactions 🌎 🧪 🎓 Rosy Christopher @envirosyment.bsky.social 📅 2 Jun | 13:00 - FREE entoLIVE webinar 🎟 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1915221742...

!!! initially thought they were an oribatid beetle mite... then freaked out upon taking a few photos - realizing they were BAEUS - a *tiny* (~600µm) parasitic wasp! Lost them after trying to stop lens down for a bit more depth of field! Underneath a log, NE Oklahoma

Meet the Flower Crab Spider 🕷️ Misumena vatia is a striking ambush predator, waiting on flowers to snatch unsuspecting pollinators. It’s also revealing secrets about plant–predator–pollinator interactions 🌎 🧪 FREE talk w/ @envirosyment.bsky.social on 2 June. 🔗 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1915221742...

Despite the slightly frosty mornings we've had up in Newcastle, Spring is definitely on the way! This also means in the coming months, Flower Crab spiders will be setting up camp on their chosen flowers. Whilst the spiders are waking up from their winter slumber... 1/2

So excited for the bees to come back! All the early bulbs are starting, and spring is sooooo close

Bumblebee Conservation Trust@bumblebeetrust.bsky.social · 6mo ago

February brings us closer to the return of bumblebees – you might be lucky enough to see some this month 🤞 Bumblebee queens emerge from hibernation in spring. Keep your eyes peeled this month for early emerging Tree and Buff-tailed bumblebees 👀 Have you spotted your first bumblebee of 2026?

We are a go! The student forum will be held at my very own Newcastle University this year, and we've got some cracking talks from some brilliant entomologists lined up for the key note spots, some fab workshops and as always we'll have the ENTOquiz! So please send your abstracts over #entomology

Royal Entomological Society@royentsoc.bsky.social · 6mo ago

📢 Abstract Call! 🎓 Our annual #StudentForum is back and coming to @newcastleuni.bsky.social on 30–31 March! Submit your abstracts to share your research & be part of the programme 💡 🗓️ Deadline: 28 Feb 👉 buff.ly/yQsZcMK #Entomology #StudentScience

So excited to be giving this talk in June, be ready for everything commensalisms, crab spiders and community science! 🌼🕷️🧬

Biological Recording Company@biologicalrecording.co.uk · 6mo ago

FREE NEW EVENT!!! 🕷️ Join us on Friend, Foe, or Freeloader? The Flower Crab Spider webinar on 2nd June. @envirosyment.bsky.social explores how Misumena vatia hunts on flowers—and how you can get involved in the research too! 🌍 🧪 🔗 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/1915221742... @britishspiders.bsky.social

Not only will you be getting first hand experience in how societies are run behind the scenes but all the connections and opportunities that come will the role are unmatched! @idrisadams.bsky.social and I will be ready to bring you up to speed on everything to do with the position! 🪲🐝🐞

Ben Hawthorne@bensjhawthorne.bsky.social · 10mo ago

📣🐞 Vacancy for a @royentsoc.bsky.social Student Representative! 🐞📣 Join @idrisadams.bsky.social & @envirosyment.bsky.social for one of the best opportunities around! Contribute to the RES and organise events, such as the renowned Student Forum Deadline: 5/10/25 www.royensoc.co.uk/opportunitie...

This was my final straw today, thought I could perfectly consolidate these samples into one box, but my ability to hold it together at the end of this field season is being tested

So it's been a minute, July was busy! I finished up my Cornwall fieldwork, drove 500 miles back to the north, had some leave, did my night time spider surveys, graduated from my master's in cardiff, had one car die and bought my first car in my own, and then started my candy stripe spider fieldwork

It's #insectweek !! Here's some of the Flower Crab spiders I've seen this field season, but don't forget to submit your photos to foragingecology.com/spider-spies/

The awaited day two of field work! Come with me to collect in my community data sample and do some nectar sampling 🕷️🌼 #fieldwork #comewithme #flowers #spiders #entomology #arachnology #phdlife #phdstudent #womeninstem

What is spider spies? Speaking a bit about the project, what goes into the kits, and what your participation goes towards! Link for the page: foragingecology.com/spider-spies/ #communityscience #arachnology #entomology #womeninstem #research #spiders #networkecology

Come and do some fieldwork with me! #entomology #spiders #arachnology #womeninstem #fieldwork

This is the kind of Jurassic park I'd be keen for

Evelyndroid's Aperture Science and Bugge-Finding 🏳️‍⚧️🕷️@apsciencebylyn.bsky.social · last yr.

Imagine, if you will, a field of buffalo-sized beetle lumps calmly grazing

A very well matched and green cucumber spider, Araniella, tucked away by it's web @britishspiders.bsky.social @sewbrec.org.uk

#EmotionalSupportSpood 🥹 Had to dig up some old spood pics for a friend, found this Phidippus richmani lad 🖤

Welcome to my PhD... #entomology #spiders #arachnology #womeninstem #neurodivergentinstem

Back in the field this week after some very turbulent weather, the spiders are still kicking though! I've now received records across 8 counties for #spiderspies including records from both England and Wales, this weeks task is learning some programming for a nice interacting map for the website!

It's always a joy but the tiniest bit frustrating when I find these guys away from my fieldsite. I spent all afternoon walking fields searching to find one female, and then I'm just walking around my parents farm checking on foals and spot this bright yellow #misumena #arachnology #spider

Despite the dismal weather down here in Cornwall, I managed to get out to sample this afternoon and found this beauty! This one had the reddest abdomen stripes I've seen yet #spiders #arachnology

You've got ~a week left to pre-order our collab w/@franzanth.bsky.social, Bigger Than Binaries! I'll order some extras in orange in a limited size range because I lack a warehouse, I have only a room full of lizards. Printed locally on 100% cotton. Get 'em while you can! squidfacts.bigcartel.com

Today's #fieldwork life lesson was if you're leaving a pan trap in a field of cows 🐮🐄 pin it down because they will steal it