Elizabeth BoatmanIt’s time for the 2018 Spider Pavilion at the Natural History Museum. This is an outdoor, up-close lab where one can walk through spider habitat. It’s perfect for autumn! Of course, I made a visit this year. Who can resist? The Pavilion is filled with vines and flowering plants which these orb weavers seem to enjoy. As the visitors walk along the u-shaped path, the spiders are tucked in the greenery. Be sure to look up. They’re overhead as well!
Always someone to answer questions
Sometimes it’s difficult to see the spiders. They blend in well with the surrounding foliage. A docent is on hand to help with that, as well as answer other spider questions.
Each timed ticket gives the visitor thirty minutes in the pavilion, time that goes by quickly. I enjoy looking at the color of the spiders and the delicacy to their webs.
I really like the colors on this little garden spider. Although the above picture is big, the spider was not. A small boy beside me thought she was a Black Widow at first. Tucked away in the shadows, the spider did look rather dark in color, so it was a good guess. There aren’t any scary spiders in the Pavilion. Most are orb weavers, and most are female.
Amazing Webs
Another popular orb weaver was the Black and Yellow Argiope, also known as the writing spider because of its web.
The zigzag is called a stabilmentum but it looks a bit as if the spider were trying to write. I read that these little spiders don’t live long. I suppose most small creatures don’t. They lay eggs and then their mission is fulfilled.
After thirty minutes, it’s time to leave. Exit through the gift shop where you’ll find a small display of tarantulas. That was popular!
The little girl in the photo above is looking at the desert tarantula. A wolf spider was In one of those containers.
A wolf spider isn’t a tarantula, although they look somewhat similar. I read that they are common in California. Lucky me!
Tips and Info
- The Spider Pavilion will be at the museum through November 25, 2018.
- As I said above, this is a special exhibit requiring special timed tickets.
- Parking can be tricky. You may want to take light rail to Exposition Park.
To see more images from my visit to the Spider Pavilion, please click here.
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