Creepy Crawlies in the Night

Reader Contribution by Staff

Here’s a fun activity for both kids and adults to try this weekend. After dark, head outside with a flashlight and, holding it at eye level, slowly shine it over the ground and in piles of leaves. If you see a bluish glint of light, hold the flashlight steady and walk toward the location of the flash. Chances are, you’ll find a wolf spider.

There are more than 2000 species of wolf spiders, which are found throughout most of the country. Their eight eyes have what’s called a tapetum, a collection of reflective cells that helps them hunt at night, but most simply refer to this as ‘eyeshine.’

You’ll be amazed at how many spiders you’ll find out hunting around at night — you can spot them from quite a distance. They are not poisonous, but they can bite, so don’t attempt to catch them.

See how many you can count in one evening, and let me know by posting a comment!

  • Published on Oct 12, 2007
Tagged with: Reader Contributions
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