2023 January 31
Rosemary Jorna writes: I met this little spider way out in the forest near Tugwell Creek on January 30. He was quite lively in spite of the ice crystals on the leaves around him.
The combined expertise of Robb Bennett and Claudia and Darren Copley arrives at: We believe the spider is a specimen of the theridiid Enoplognatha ovata, the “Eurasian Polymorphic Cobweaver” or “Candy-stripe Spider”. Quite a pretty spider, an introduction unfortunately. It’s an immatur...
2023 January 20
Lymantria dispar
Jeremy Tatum writes: On January 14, while writing about the proposed insecticide spraying program for L.dispar, I expressed an opinion something to the effect that the change in its English name to Spongy Moth was “politically correct”, and that I didn’t know who, if anyone, was offended by the old name. I quickly received two letters(and will doubtless receive a few more) pointing out that the G-word is exceedingly offensive to the Romani peop...