IN-PERSON: The Elderwise classroom at the Vineyard Church
Life histories of tarantulas present an interesting dichotomy. Sedentary females live in the same burrows for up to 25 years, whereas males reach sexual maturity in 7 to 8 years and spend the last few months of their lives actively searching for, and mating with, as many females as possible. Despite a very robust pet trade, surprisingly little is known about these animals in their natural environments. In this presentation Cara Shillington will introduce us to the fascinating world of spiders, with a focus on tarantulas. She will discuss what she and her students are learning at their current field site in southern Colorado. Join us with any spider questions you may have and prepare to enjoy an up-close encounter with live tarantulas. Cara Shillington is a professor of biology at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) whose area of expertise is behavioral and physiological ecology. She teaches invertebrate biology at EMU, and has led students on field trips to tropical and subtropical localities in Florida, the Bahamas, and Ecuador. Her research focuses on the arachnids, especially tarantulas, using these creatures as both model and muse.
