Nature doesn’t recognize manmade boundaries. During a recent visit to Tennessee, I stopped in northern Alabama to photograph and collect some spiders very similar to some seen a few places in Texas. The most recent literature suggests spiders west of the Mississippi River are Pardosa mercurialis and those to the east are Pardosa lapidicina. The literature also postulates mercurialis may be a subspecies of lapidicina. Both are extremely variable and share several distinctive forms. Their DNA would help answer the question, and that is our intention. This particular form is one of the most spectacular among wolf spiders. It camouflages them well along rivers bordered with limestone rocks and sand. These are small spiders that could easily sit on a dime with room to spare.
This year on the blackland prairie was a lot like 2019 with lots of tall sunflowers. In October there was a profusion of yellow flowers and tiny asters.
On the way back from the October chapter meeting I stopped by Alligator Creek. It’s a location that always has something to offer, and there is an early winter species I haven’t been able to identify yet for lack of an adult female.
I picked up two spiders that looked interesting. Both cringed and flattened themselves against the ground as I approached but obligingly ran into my contain when poked from behind.
They turned out to be adult male Tigrosa georgicola, a species which is common there. Once they were in my container, they appeared much larger when their long legs became fully visible. During photography, I used my smaller ventral chamber and immediately realized I should have used the larger Both were very mellow and just barely fit with their legs stretched out.
The chamber is 2.75″ in diameter so I was able to get a good idea of their overall size which was about 4 times their body length. Females tend to have longer bodies and shorter legs.
I took them back for release 8 hours later. The release of one was particularly gratifying. I dumped him from the container into my hand and he just stood there. Usually they’re off in a flash as soon as they land. As I lowered my hand toward the ground he leisurely walked to the edge of my hand and then hopped to the ground.
In my opinion, a ventral view is necessary for a positive species identification within this genus.
You can tell it is Fall in the Wildscape. More pollinators are coming out, also a dark snake in the top of the Mexican Plum tree. Some of the natives are done for the year and others are fixing to bloom, like Asters, Mexican Mint Marigold, and Goldenrod. It’s balmy and serene around 6 pm.
We are excited to announce our participation in the Pollinators for Texas Initiative! Our chapter’s project was selected to receive financial support to enhance native pollinator conservation in our area! Our project, Sow & Grow: Milam Seed Library, aims to expand by adding two additional locations to provide Milam County residents with free access to native seeds and to teach about the importance of pollinators through educational programming. By providing free access to native seeds in various locations, all residents of Milam County will have the opportunity to support pollinators and create their own natural habitat at home, making a lasting impact on pollinator conservation.
A big thank you to H-E-B for their generous support in this initiative and their continued partnership with the Texas Master Naturalist program. Together, we’re working to safeguard and enhance native pollinator populations across Texas. For more information about the Pollinators for Texas Initiative, visit https://txmn.tamu.edu/pollinators-for-texas/.
Our announcement
The two new locations for expansion will be a seed library inside the Lucy Hill Patterson Memorial Library (Rockdale, TX) and a free-standing seed library to be placed outside at the El Camino Real City Wildscape ( All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Cameron, TX).
Our project wants to raise awareness of pollinator decline and its threat to one-third of the U.S. food supply, offer educational programs on native pollinators and ecosystem services, and launch a Native Wildscape Yard of the Month (April – September 2027, county-wide) to inspire residents to create beautiful native landscapes, dispel the “messy garden” stigma and encourage seed donation back to our libraries and sustaining our seed stock while building lasting habitat improvements throughout the community.
I’d like to recognize Catherine Johnson and Patsy Coombs for all their knowledge, encouragement and expertise as they supported me. Also, Elena Berkes, the head Librarian at the Cameron Pubic Library, totally embraced our Chapter’s installation of the seed library and has continued to support our efforts. Also, many thanks to the Little River Basin Master Gardeners who have partnered with us in supplying and packaging seeds for our project.
And of course, many thanks to our El Camino Real Chapter members for supporting my idea and continuing to come monthly to package seeds!
