Science A Break From The Alex Smith Drama: Urbanization Is Supersizing Spiders - Page 6

listopencil · 02-28-2013, 12:34 PM

City living brings with it a few shifts in lifestyle compared to rural habitation: shorter commutes, accessible shops and, often, an over-reliance on restaurant dining and fast food. Another side effect of the congested, cramped, cement-laded city life is that the temperature tends to be a little warmer year-round, a shift known as the “urban heat island” effect.

As it turns out, these changes aren’t only affecting cities’ human populations. In Australia, where spiders already have a propensity to be terrifyingly large, new research by University of Sydney PhD candidate Lizzy Lowe, says The Age, found that Sydney’s higher temperatures and easier access to food are driving the spiders to grow even bigger.

She studied the golden orb weaver in three types of environments in and around Sydney – urban parks, remnant bushland and continuous bushland. Twenty sites were studied and, for each spider web found, she assessed its proximity to man-made objects and vegetation.

Comparing the sizes of the spiders, she found that the city spiders outpaced the country spiders. And, though her research focused only on Golden orb weaver spiders, she suggests that the same effect can probably be seen in other species.

A female golden orb weaver spider. Photo: Arthur Chapman

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smar...izing-spiders/

GloryDayz · 03-01-2013, 07:56 AM

I blame global warming and automatic weapons.

listopencil · 03-01-2013, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holladay

What no love for this link....thought it was hillarious

Nice lil PSA on spiders. Quite educational.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=sHzdsFiBbFc

Gotta love crack cocaine spiders!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe if you embedded it instead:

listopencil · 03-01-2013, 11:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fish

Music should have been "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story.

Fish · 03-01-2013, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by listopencil

Music should have been "I Feel Pretty" from West Side Story.

listopencil · 03-01-2013, 11:24 AM

Rare Spider Hides Out in London Cemetery Vaults for 150 Years

A rare species of orb weaver spider, Meta bourneti, turned up in the vaults of London’s Highgate Cemetery where it may have been lying low for the past 150 years.

As an orb weaver, the species requires total darkness, so archeologists think the tombs made a perfect hideout for the spider, which normally lives in caves and feasts upon small insects and woodlice. According to the BBC, this is the first time M. bourneti has been recorded in London.

Around 100 spiders, measuring about 30 mm, turned up in the tombs, some of which date back to the 1830s. The discovery shows just how important urban cemeteries can be for providing refuges for wildlife, the London Wildlife Trust told the BBC.

http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smar...for-150-years/

**Rausch** · 03-01-2013, 11:48 AM

This is why I purchase Mantid egg cases every year...

Fish · 03-03-2013, 11:15 PM

AussieChiefsFan · 03-03-2013, 11:48 PM

Good luck America.

listopencil · 03-14-2013, 03:13 PM

Well, hey, apparently today is International Save A Spider Day. Here's a slideshow:

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc...198058761.html

It has some creepy/cool images like this one:

[IMG]http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/963*1285/A+Green+Spider(Araniella+cucurbitina)+spins+its+web+between+two+trees+by+Gonzalo+Acuna+(Montevideo+U raguay)_963.jpg[/IMG]

listopencil · 03-14-2013, 03:15 PM

Well that's weird. The IMG tag isn't working for some reason.

Fish · 03-14-2013, 03:19 PM

Hangin out. Pooping webbing that's stronger than steel. You know, just spider shit....

REDHOTGTO · 03-16-2013, 07:49 AM

this is why i use the best spray ever, TEMPO no more spiders, roaches, anything just death, try it , it works like crazy

CoMoChief · 03-16-2013, 08:03 AM

i dont know why i keep clicking into this thread.

Spiders and clowns just freak me the **** out.

Fish · 03-22-2013, 05:37 PM

**bevischief** · 03-22-2013, 05:53 PM

I haven't seen a spider since I moved up here.

02-28-2013, 12:34 PM
listopencil Immanentize The Eschaton Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: In Partibus Infidelium Casino cash: $2315880	A Break From The Alex Smith Drama: Urbanization Is Supersizing Spiders City living brings with it a few shifts in lifestyle compared to rural habitation: shorter commutes, accessible shops and, often, an over-reliance on restaurant dining and fast food. Another side effect of the congested, cramped, cement-laded city life is that the temperature tends to be a little warmer year-round, a shift known as the “urban heat island” effect. As it turns out, these changes aren’t only affecting cities’ human populations. In Australia, where spiders already have a propensity to be terrifyingly large, new research by University of Sydney PhD candidate Lizzy Lowe, says The Age, found that Sydney’s higher temperatures and easier access to food are driving the spiders to grow even bigger. She studied the golden orb weaver in three types of environments in and around Sydney – urban parks, remnant bushland and continuous bushland. Twenty sites were studied and, for each spider web found, she assessed its proximity to man-made objects and vegetation. Comparing the sizes of the spiders, she found that the city spiders outpaced the country spiders. And, though her research focused only on Golden orb weaver spiders, she suggests that the same effect can probably be seen in other species. A female golden orb weaver spider. Photo: Arthur Chapman http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smar...izing-spiders/
Posts: 55,889

03-01-2013, 07:56 AM	#76
GloryDayz (Sir/Yes Sir/Aye Aye Sir) Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Diving Casino cash: $3615380	I blame global warming and automatic weapons. __________________ . #President Trump loves and supports the constitution #McCarthy is a Sellout and Traitor to America #The FBLieIsCorrupt #DefundTheFBI #The FBI Is Not The Police #PresidentBidenIsMoronic #LizCheneyGotTheBoot #FJB #80,000,000 Mules (and a few Americans too) Voted For COVID To Continue #I still don't have COVID
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03-01-2013, 11:24 AM	#80
listopencil Immanentize The Eschaton Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: In Partibus Infidelium Casino cash: $2315880	Rare Spider Hides Out in London Cemetery Vaults for 150 Years A rare species of orb weaver spider, Meta bourneti, turned up in the vaults of London’s Highgate Cemetery where it may have been lying low for the past 150 years. As an orb weaver, the species requires total darkness, so archeologists think the tombs made a perfect hideout for the spider, which normally lives in caves and feasts upon small insects and woodlice. According to the BBC, this is the first time M. bourneti has been recorded in London. Around 100 spiders, measuring about 30 mm, turned up in the tombs, some of which date back to the 1830s. The discovery shows just how important urban cemeteries can be for providing refuges for wildlife, the London Wildlife Trust told the BBC. http://blogs.smithsonianmag.com/smar...for-150-years/ __________________ Everything the State says is a lie, and everything it has...it has stolen.
Posts: 55,889

03-03-2013, 11:15 PM	#82
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2368919	__________________
Posts: 47,457

03-03-2013, 11:48 PM	#83
AussieChiefsFan MVP Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Sydney, Australia Casino cash: $6598501	Good luck America.
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03-14-2013, 03:13 PM	#84
listopencil Immanentize The Eschaton Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: In Partibus Infidelium Casino cash: $2315880	Well, hey, apparently today is International Save A Spider Day. Here's a slideshow: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/scienc...198058761.html It has some creepy/cool images like this one: [IMG]http://media.smithsonianmag.com/images/9631285/A+Green+Spider(Araniella+cucurbitina)+spins+its+web+between+two+trees+by+Gonzalo+Acuna+(Montevideo+U raguay)_963.jpg[/IMG] __________________ Everything the State says is a lie, and everything it has...it has stolen*.
Posts: 55,889

03-14-2013, 03:15 PM	#85
listopencil Immanentize The Eschaton Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: In Partibus Infidelium Casino cash: $2315880	Well that's weird. The IMG tag isn't working for some reason. __________________ Everything the State says is a lie, and everything it has...it has stolen.
Posts: 55,889

03-14-2013, 03:19 PM	#86
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2368919	Hangin out. Pooping webbing that's stronger than steel. You know, just spider shit.... __________________
Posts: 47,457

03-16-2013, 07:49 AM	#87
REDHOTGTO Veteran Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: INDEPENDENCE,KANSAS Casino cash: $7298961	this is why i use the best spray ever, TEMPO no more spiders, roaches, anything just death, try it , it works like crazy
Posts: 1,913

03-16-2013, 08:03 AM	#88
CoMoChief Mahomes Dynasty Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $8052254	i dont know why i keep clicking into this thread. Spiders and clowns just freak me the **** out. __________________
Posts: 39,155

03-22-2013, 05:37 PM	#89
Fish Ain't no relax! Join Date: Sep 2005 Casino cash: $2368919	__________________
Posts: 47,457

03-22-2013, 05:53 PM	#90
bevischief .... Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somewhere Kansas Casino cash: $8659352 VARSITY	I haven't seen a spider since I moved up here.
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