In a discovery tucked inside urban wall crevices, researchers identified Pikelinia floydmuraria, a 3 to 4mm spider that hunts prey up to six times its size. Drawn to artificial lights, it hunts efficiently near buildings, offering new insights into predator behavior while underscoring how tiny urban creatures help keep insect populations in check.
Giant Joro spiders, originally from East Asia, are rapidly expanding across the United States. Known for their large size and impressive webbing, they can survive colder conditions and adapt to urban environments, helping them move into new regions. Researchers say they’re unlikely to pose a threat to people, though their arrival is shifting local insect populations, tracked partly through citizen science.
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