Emma visiting a large aggregation of spiders at Arkansas Bend State Park, TX, in Oct. 2016 (Photo by: Joseph Lapp)

An amblypigid mother and her offspring. (Linda Rayor/Cornell University)

A scorpion mother carries her offspring on her back (Insects Unlocked)

Opiliones grouped together under a log (Wikimedia Commons)

Emma Dietrich (Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Graduate Program)

"The Social Lives of Arachnids"

The arachnid class is comprised of over one hundred thousand described species, many of which live a predominantly solitary life. However, almost all arachnids spend at least some portion of their lives interacting with others of their own species, and a few species have evolved to spend their whole lives living in a group. Territorial disputes, intricate courtship dances, extended maternal care, and cooperative group living are just a few types of social interactions scientists have observed in arachnid species. If you want to learn more about the variety of fascinating social behaviors displayed across this group of animals, come out to Science Under the Stars this October! Emma is a PhD candidate in EEB, and you can read about her work here.

Science Under the Stars is a free, monthly public outreach lecture series founded and organized by graduate students in the Department of Integrative Biology at The University of Texas at Austin. Events are held outdoors at Brackenridge Field Laboratory, 2907 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin, Texas 78703. In the case of inclement weather, lectures are held indoors.

Here’s the schedule for this month’s event:

• 7:00 pm: Snacks, kids activities, and displays of local animals and plants found at Brackenridge Field Laboratory will be available.
• 7:15 pm-7:45 pm: Guided tour of the field lab (wear sturdy shoes and bring water)!
• 8:00 pm: Settle in, because the talk begins now!
• 8:45 pm: Q&A with the speaker.