


Shut the Front Door! Researchers Find ‘Endangered Living Fossil’ Trapdoor Spider
Meet Cryptocteniza kawtak, a newly described genus and species of trapdoor spider that likely dates to the Cretaceous. The researcher who found it first spotted it in 1997 but was finally able to enter it in the scientific record after finding another specimen two decades later.

Do Chestnut, Lemon, or Peppermint Scents Repel Spiders?
In a study on three commonly cited natural spider repellents, both chestnut and peppermint oil showed apparent repellent effects on two species of spider but not on a third. Meanwhile, lemon oil did not have a significant effect on any of the three species included in the study.

Spiders Enjoy Vegetarian Meals Occasionally
Spiders have always been known to feed on insects, but zoologists from the University of Basel, the US, and the UK have now been able to show that their diet […]

Ten New Spider Species Found in Madagascar
An international team of researchers has discovered ten new spider species in Madagascar. All ten belong to the genus Anelosimus, which is in the family Theridiidae. The names of some […]