Spiders are a seriously misunderstood, feared, and
understudied group of invertebrates. Did you know that some species of spiders
are considered to be pollinators? How about that spiders can be found on every
continent, except Antarctica?
Join us at Hackberry Flat Wildlife
Management Area for a morning crawling with spiders. The event will start off
in our classroom in the William H. “Bill” Crawford Building, where you’ll hear
from biologists on all thing’s spiders! You’ll learn about spider biology,
their importance, and how to identify common spiders of Oklahoma. The second
half of this event is optional, but encouraged and will take place outside the
classroom. We’ll search for and capture spiders for close inspection and use
iNaturalist to catalog all individuals observed. Come discover why spiders might
not be as scary as you think!
Watch: How to Catch a Spider
Please meet at the William H. “Bill” Crawford Building at 10:00
AM.
While searching for spiders, we will be using iNaturalist to
catalog all individuals captured. This will help biologists develop a list of
species present on the area. Devices are not required, but attendees are
welcomed to download the app prior to the event to become familiar with the
features. If you would like to add observations to our iNaturalist project, you
will need to join here.
Before the event we will go over how to properly use iNaturalist and upload
observations to the Hackberry Flat WMA Observations project.
Attendees should wear weather appropriate clothing and closed-toed
shoes. Hackberry Flat typically experiences windy conditions, so please be
prepared for this. A hat and sunscreen are recommended, as the area has very
little shade. Bring plenty of water.
Disclaimers:
- Online registration is required for this event.
- Participants must be at least 10 years old.
- Registration for the event will close when the participant count
reaches 20.
- No pets allowed.
Please expect an email the day before
the event regarding weather conditions and expectations! If weather is looking unfavorable, a cancellation email will be sent out to attendees. We
will have a back-up date if needed.
Get Directions to Hackberry Flat Center (William H. "Bill" Crawford Building) or print out the document linked here.