Every new video that you put out just reminds me of how thrilled I am that you've made PRECISELY the spider channel I have always wanted to watch. You're taking the ordinary lil ho-hum spiders I see in my house and you're explaining them in copious detail. THANK YOU and please don't stop.
I can't tell you how much it means to hear this. This is exactly what I set out to do, so it is great to hear that the channel is hitting its mark. Thanks so much for this. I hope to keep going with it, if I can build the channel enough.
@@travismcenery2919 It really is super cool that you're doing this on a level that it could be sourced in Papers, even as an amateur you're collecting data that sometimes no one has. Including video footage! That's such a big deal in terms of recording species.
@@Pennali Yes! Creepy. I want to kill them!! Although jumping spiders are my absolute favourite. I love them, handle them, and let them out into the big outdoors. To me jumpers just have this cute vibe that doesn't strike fear in me (unless they are big). They feel like little pets.
Indeed. They'll come screaming across your furniture (i.e. the chair you're sitting in!), camp out in your cabinets, etc. They don't do so well inverted, so the ceiling will be a rare location to spot them. If they get pinched, they can give you a nip, but I've never known such a nip to be noteworthy.
Man's really out here leading research on spiders that have gone largely ignored for centuries and discovers that they're actually cool as ice. I always start the video wishing it was about jumping spiders or brown recluses but never ending it disappointed. Love Colleen and Stephanie, love your videos, love your work, keep it up this is great.
Thanks so much! I haven't covered jumping spiders or recluses because jumpers don't usually show up IN my house (unless I bring them in - I've got four in captivity right now), and recluses just don't exist where I live. I'll cover recluses at some point, but that one will take a LOT of research. Rick Vetter is probably the leading authority on them and wrote a book bout them, if you're interested in the meantime.
@@travismcenery2919 Yep. I usually find jumping spiders ON my house, not in it. Generally, they're somewhere near a door or window and they're nearly always the really tiny little black and white ones. I'd call them zebra spiders, but the description for those has even the males much larger than the ones I see. The ones I find are usually 3 to 4 mm long, including the legs. They could be juveniles I suppose, but I never see any larger than that. I'll be interested to see what you do on recluses. I'm pretty convinced that they get a bad rap. I rarely see reports of a recluse bite that has any actual proof that it was a recluse or even a spider bite. I know there are real cases, but I really doubt there are as many as reported.
@@travismcenery2919oh I'm quite familiar with recluses, being from the Midwest. I've known about them and dealt with them for my entire life, but I know a lot of people with similar levels of experience who fall for a lot of wives tales about the old fiddleback and it's got me curious about how pure my own knowledge is.
Scientific terms like "Biteyness" and "practically ninjas" are what make this the superior spood channel. I also enjoy explaining how "I saw this Canadian dude chasing after a spider with a piece of cheese." *There's also some random frames changing, split second, especially during the chasing of said spider with said cheese.
Yes, those frames are cuts in the footage - if you watch, you can see the timer in the corner skip. The entire cheese test was five minutes long, so I chopped it up, and used those frames to indicate the cuts.
Same lmao, I have one I keep seeing in my bedroom and I thought it was a wolf spider for the longest time. I just got the chance to see it up close without it running away and was able to actually identify it as a parson spider. Pretty cool lil fella, hope he keeps the flies and silverfish away lol
Im very impressed that you so casually made the ground work to further investigate these spiders behaviour. Your discovery about the hunting "Bungee Lines" is very astounding. Please keep doing your videos.
“This is a spider you’ll see for a brief moment and then it’ll be gone. They’re maddeningly quick and if you try to catch one, they’ll often dodge and weave and generally outmaneuver you LIKE A TODDLER WHO JUST MADE OFF WITH YOUR PHONE.” 😂😂 Sounds like you speak from experience. 🤣
these dapper little dudes are surprisingly unique. i always figured they were another "haul ass and chase it down" hunting species when i saw them around, but the detail about how they might be using silk to tangle up prey and then absorb the shock from their kicking is extremely cool. i also thought it was surprising how a species that literally attacks other spiders for food and drags its catch around by the throat isn't trigger happy about biting in self-defense, like. at all. i've gotten more attitude from cellar spiders over brushing up against their web.
I love that you're doing legit research on spiders now, I'm excited to see where it leads in the future. I also find this species really cool looking! So velvety, and such stylish b&w coloring.
Yup, these are beautiful up close. And I kind of stumbled into doing actual research, just because there was actually so little study done on them, I could barely make a video out of it.
I' have been awaiting this very episode and had intended to search for your study of the EPS this weekend, but no need; "The Spiders in Your Home" and the Eastern Parson Spider found me 😊 I could not have been more delighted! Thank you❤🕷️
I am absolutely cracking up that you chose to do this spider next. I just caught one a couple of days ago and spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to identify it. It was very small and ridiculously fast. I probably wouldn't have trapped it at all if my cat hadn't cornered it first.
Seriously, they always jumpscare me with how fast they are! Only faster spider I have personally encountered was togo starburst tarantula...but those also have a nasty bite and are MUCH larger.
I’m here because I’ve just captured a Parsons spider. I wanted to comment on biteyness: I found the lil guy on my floor, I’ve seen him around the house, but I love having them around as I have a ton of plants and they’re super beneficial. This guy was just curled up in the dead middle of the floor. I immediately assumed something was wrong, turns out he was just dehydrated (quickly slurped up the water I gave him after capture) WELL… when trying to coax him into my glass jar, he bit the pen I was using probably 3 times. I’ll be honest, my usual preach is to use my hands to do the coaxing, but noticing something was wrong, I figured id use the pen. He turned to bite IMMEDIATELY. Lil bro was not playing around. Just feeling the vibration of the pen tip next to him set him into defense/offense mode. Maybe he’s starving? Maybe he’s in fight or flight mode, idk but he was not happy about that pen.
21:59 This webbing tecniche is quite fascinating, i have seen wall spiders(Oecobius) do this quite frequently, it's amazing how effective and safe it is for the spider to catch prey this way and it's amazing the speed in which they spin around their target, you should do a video on wall spiders they are extremely common in homes.
Outstanding presentation, as always. The "cheese test" is a telling one really as if that's what you're doing to a spider and get bit, I will not be blaming the spider anyway. I'd argue most common spiders are hard to get to bite you if you wanted them to. They're almost domesticated at this point.
I am shocked people overlook these spiders! Compared to most of the other spiders I encounter they’re pretty big (granted I usually only see jumping spiders and sac spiders in my house) and they’re so pretty! I love the almost golden patterns on their backs and their little red boots.
I just had one of these little guys crawl on me while watching TV this weekend! He was a polite gentleman and didn't enter defensive pose no matter how much we pestered him. 10/10 spider. Cute, friendly, and tidy.
I'm a big fan of the detailed explanations and clear well-read scripts! I'm always excited to see these videos in my notification feed. I always share them in my groups of friends
Love your videos! Not only are you helping long-time arachnophobes like myself become less afraid, but you are actively furthering our scientific understanding of these funky little dudes. Cheers to more spiders in my (and your) house!
I saved one of these guys from the bathtub one night. I also found a yellow sac spider in the bathroom before along with a cellar spider. We get quite the selection some years.
O Travis, your videos keep getting better and better, and I just have to tell you something RIGHT NOW.. For most of my life, I maintained a strict "see it, scream and squish it" position when it came to spiders. I had no interest, and in fact felt violated when one would spook me. They were uninvited and not welcome in my home. And then I saw your first video. UA-cam threw it at me randomly, and I was fascinated. The way you delivered information made me feel like you were my dad, cooly addressing me like I was your freaked-out fourteen year-old daughter (I am also a middle-age man, but I'm more bald than you tho so ha). And you got me to calm down and actually look at the spider as a living thing. That video completely changed my home. When I see spiders now, I am actually happy. I look forward to each video you put out, and learn so much about all these friends in my house (I even give them names!). I have not squashed a single spider (or any bug-things) ever since I found your channel. You have inspired within myself a profound respect for all of the creatures around me that I once "hated." Thank you so much for your work, it truly is a thrill following you and learning from you. This afternoon I made an omelet, and a little eight-legged dude skittered out from under my cabinet. I named him Travis.
Thank you so much for this. This is so encouraging to hear. I don't even really know what to say, but I'm touched that it has inspired a new appreciation in you. Thank you.
We have a pretty healthy colony of parson spiders in our home. We see them mostly on our main floors (finished walk out basement and 1st floor) and generally on the ceilings (we have popcorn ceilings). They are crazy fast, and I agree that their house politeness is pretty high.
This is one of my fav videos of yours because I see these dudes everywhere. I called them sportscar spiders before I knew what they were because they’re low riding, zoom about and have a racing stripe
just goes to show that there's no such thing as an uninteresting organism, only an overlooked one! thanks for another great video, i am excited to possibly see more of stephanie and colleen's adventures in future installments :)
When I moved into my home in September 2022 (east central MN), there were a TON of these in my house. I would see multiple individuals a day and while sleeping on ground the first couple of days, I had to gently shake them out of my bedding. I did experience a couple of bites during this time. A bit uncomfortable, but much less so than that of yellow sac spiders and others I have experienced. The high quantity of them really surprised me, but that said, I still miss them since they've moved out. Cute little friends.
I found the yellow sac spider flashes amusing. This is an amazing video. I just love the thorough, careful research being done, and the way that you present all of the information, and the humor that comes through.
This is the most fascinating one yet, maybe because there isn't much literature on these, but the elastic thread thing kind of goes against the active running down of prey. They obviously go for bigger things when they have established ground or wall lines that both act as safety lines and pull them out of harm's way so they can deal with the prey in a safe and methodical manner. Brilliant Travis, you really have found your speciality and theres nothing better than working at something you love and which fascinates you.
I think this might be your very best video yet, and I find this little genus of spiders incredibly fascinating now. Clearly they need to be studied in further detail!
I loved these little guys in my old house. I don’t see them much in my current apartment but I liked them a lot because the were small and generally just darted around until they found their way outside, and they were probably the first spider I caught with a capture cup because they’re so small. Fast, but neat and welcome in my place. :)
I live on Long island in NY state. So east coast. My first experience with these parson spiders was back in the early 2000's. Found one in garrage and thought it peculiar and wanted to know what it was. At first i started calling it a "copper back" because its back makings, instead of that silvery white color, were a pinkish copper color. Later on was able to learn that it was a parsons spider. Ive come across a few others since then and and those all had the silver whitish back markings. But other than color, all of them were identical to the copper back one. Its a very tough voracious little spider. One of them i put into a jar with a yellow sack spider. Both about the same in size. And by next day the parsons had devoured the yellow sack spider. And oh yeah, more than once i have come across them because they were running up my wall while i was watching TV.
Was chilling in bed and one of these little guys crawled up the wall I’ve started identifying spiders I find in the house then finding your video to see how polite they are before trying to relocate them, figure if they’re good housemates might as well live and let live With only one identified bite, I think I’m ok with my roommate Thank you for your videos!
25:23 the parson's in my kitchen did this too with her most recent kill. She got the stinkbug in the abdomen but turned it around to feed from its neck.
Thank you so much for making these videos! As a person living in the city with an interest in zoology (especially arthropods, and especially arachnids) your videos are an excellent resource to explore the biodiversity of the (at first) seemingly sterile urban landscape. I now enjoy looking for and identifying the little spiders who live in and around my house and I have a somehow even greater appreciation for these videos. I always look forward to a new video from this channel, keep up the good work!
I just caught and released one of these things in my home. Of all places, it actually entered my bedroom through the doorway, crawling on the wall near the ceiling. As with most spiders I encountered, I didn't expect it to be a threat. That being said, crawling on the wall in my bedroom was an accident waiting to happen. Right now, it must be doing its thing outside, keeping the pests in check.
While supposedly this spider is very common in my area, I have only ever seen it once. It was “spider season” and I usually only find wolf spiders and once a black footed yellow sac spider (who I named boots) indoors and then see the odd fishing spider and MANY different species of jumping spiders outdoors. Last year I found a Parson spider and got so excited because I had never seen one in the house before!! I managed to catch it in a cup (we keep some out bc the cat likes to kill bugs and my 85 lbs dog’s nickname is “Stompy” bc he… well, he stompy all over the place, so we try to catch and release before spider death lol). I showed my dad who had gotten me interested in spiders and we both were stupidly excited about it. I shared your wolf spider video with him as that is both our favorite species. :) thank you for loving these often underrated and under appreciated little creepy crawlies as much as they deserve!!
I just caught one of these this morning. He went in the pants I was going to wear, and instead of killing it (because I'm literally terrified of spider's) I put him in a terrarium I had set up. This video was very helpful! Side note- my pants were in my closet (a dark place) I don't keep clothes on the floor😅
This was the perfect entertainment for a sick day, thank you! These are indeed THEE spiders in my house. They may not be the main characters in the spider kingdom at large, but they are in my apartment.
I know this was a year ago, but on top of the rear legs staying on the thread of silk, watch them run- it doesn't seem like they use their back legs much. Almost like they just drag them. Might be a specialized technique you've found
once again Great video Travis, Gnaphosidae are actually one of my favourite families to study, i've been studying their taxonomy for a while and while its extremely hard (most are with the same habitus, females have barely differentiated vulvas) they still are absolutely fascinating little buggers, also some species are more specialized with ant hunting, and many have mirmecophilous relationships with many ants, like Anagraphis. or are mirmecomorphs like Micaria
I came across a lot of that while looking for research on herpyllus. I've read that most gnaphosids are difficult to identify - the parson is nice in that it's pretty easy to spot.
I love that you have a spider named Colleen. That was my moms name. She was born in Canada. I miss her. She passed away in 1982 when I was 14. Give Colleen all my love ❤. Love your videos.
Thanks for this vid and your channel! I moved to an area with more spiders than where I grew up, and living alone I’m learning how to deal with encountering them constantly and alone. Learning about the species I meet day to day helps me come from a place of interest rather than fear. I see parsons spiders probably the most often! I call them sports car spiders because of how they look and how fast they are :)
I love this spider more than pretty much anything, when I see one I practically jump for joy. I love spiders in general, and it started because I have fond memories of running into these exact spiders in my teens, ever since then when I run into one I just stare at it for an hour or so. I love these guys, it’s awesome learning some more about them! A shame I didn’t know about your channel sooner, but at least now I can work through watching your other videos :]
It’s insane to me that something so common could have so little research on it in 2023. Like my assumption is that researchers have documented all they could on species we know of and so the species we see more get studied more.
When it comes to spiders, we know so little about many of them that anyone who is a careful observer can discover new things! It's very exciting. Honestly the species that get studied the most, at least with bugs, are economically important ones like crop pests, or very dangerous/venomous ones. Spiders are neither so they don't get as much attention.
I completely agree with the top comment on this video. Never knew how much I wanted someone to explain spiders in copious detail to me. I would watch you explain ANY species of spider, not even just the commonly encountered household ones. But I LOVE that you do the household ones because I hope these videos help people with their arachnophobia. Spiders are just so neat. Tiny little eight legged panthers. And I've said this in nearly every comment on your videos but the cheese test is fucking delightful. I was so excited when I found out what it was for the first time and I love seeing it again every single time it happens. What a joy.
Thanks! The Snuffleupagus thing was actually my wife's idea, so I'll pass the credit on to her for that. I had her review my script for this and she had some really great feedback, and a couple of ideas to throw in.
Yup - that's why I find it interesting to read the actual papers. I can see how the experiment was done, how they got to certain conclusions, and the strength of those conclusions. Some things are "yup, we've got that figured out", and others are more "evidence suggests this, but there could be other explanations, too".
I encountered a parson for the first time last night in my room last night and swiftly caught it in a jar like I do with most of my spider friends. It was an easy catch for me but I do this often. It seemed a little agitated but polite enough to be completely real. It did wrap up the bodies of the other spiders in the jar that it found before I let it outside and there is a really big web in my window where it was living before it got curious and crawled into my room
Thank you so much for your channel. I was bit by a parsons spider in bed, and it left 2 red marks where the fangs penetrated the skin. It iched for a couple of days, and then it healed.
Looks that way, yes! I sent extended footage to Dr. Scott and Dr. McCann, and they think it's worth me looking into, so I'm going to. I really love this species. I didn't set out to specifically research, but the void of information on this species compelled me to. There was literally so little published data that this could have been a very boring video...
just caught one of these, photographed it, and threw it outside.. And here I am, after reviewing the zoomed in photo, unmistakably the pattern and spinnerets of the Easter Parson Spider... To add to your research from the movement section.. I live in an A-frame wooden cabin in northern Michigan. I often see them at night when I'm up in the loft running between the cracks in my walls/ceiling (It's an A-frame, so they are mostly upside down) I also see them from time to time in my kitchen sink. Again, usually nocturnally. And yesterday, I saw one running across the floor, I chased it to catch it, and it disappeared into a shockingly tight crack in between floor boards.. I know many animals can fit in tight spaces but when I say that it was a tight crack, I mean I doubt I could get a piece of paper to fit into it... So they are obviously very swift, flexible and adaptive.
I'm really glad I stumbled across your channel. I haven't looked just yet, but if you haven't made a follow-up with additional research, I hope you do at some point.
Caught one that was on my kitchen window screen today. Just beyond that window I have substantial landscaping. Was happy to scoop her quickly in a cup and return her to that landscaping bed. Thanks for the great images. I am confident this is the type I see around my house in NE.
Hey Travis! Great video as always. Rewatching this again as I am wont to do. These guys are adorable! I don't think I've ever seen one around here in New Jersey but I will definitely have to keep my eyes out! What awesome footage you got, and fantastic breakdown of your observations! Man spiders are the best. Keep up the awesome work! - Charlotte
4 Years ago, I was sleeping on the floor of a trailer we rented near a river in NW Michigan. I got bit in my sleep by one the size of a quarter. I had quite a reaction. I can send you a picture of the reaction and the Parson Spider if you like. Now I own my own cabin in NE Michigan and we just found 10, but they are about the size of a dime.
I found said Eastern Parson in my home and started googling. Glad to have found it and it having led me to your channel. Great video. Looking forward to watching more of your content.
Just found one in my bathtub (western most likely - Iowa) sadly I freaked out and flushed it down the tub drain, looked up the description on them and found your channel so it was a win win I'd say, I love jumping spiders but all others scare me. I'd love to learn more about spider species so that I can live side by side with them without fear.
I found one of these on my wall, and for the first time ever (arachnophobic) I caught this thing in a cup and let it outside. Afterwards, found this video saying how these spiders are basically ninjas and I'm feeling much more capable for the next one that comes around 😂
I kept one for a short time until I ID'd it, but I wish I did more with it! Truly more interesting than the scientists give credit for. THANK YOU! And btw, if you DO find yourself looking at other inverts....I suggest Roaches or Silverfish. It fits your theme. haha
I’ve been bit by one and yes, their bites are pretty harsh imo. It’s still to this day the only spider bite that I’ve consciously been aware of due to the suddenness and sharpness of the pain, and actually seeing the little guy drop off my shoulder and try to scurry away. Like dude…you’re on *me*, it wasn’t my fault! It was definitely scared of course, in reality. Still though, stood out for me.
Definitely! I'm excited to keep working with these spiders. Stephanie and Colleen are both alive and well, and I still have them. My daughter found me another one, too, plus I have that juvenile, so that's four parsons I've got now. The sample size is growing.
OMG, Gnaphosids are NOT boring! Even the tiny black Zelotes species I have are FULL of personalty and have some fascinating behaviors. They are so small but are some of the most fearless spiders I have encountered and are remarkably interactive.
@@travismcenery2919 The ones here are very small and solid black. They must be very stealthy outside because I actually have never seen one outside. Undoubtedly nocturnal. They make their way inside enough that I know there is plenty of them out there too. I just hate that some company named their cheap computer mouse _Zelotes_ because it just clogged up all my searches with sales links and made finding good information very hard.
We have eastern parson spiders in our house. Probably more than we would like. Very quick and we've found a couple that were quite hefty, like quarter size. We’re in Fairfield County CT.
Omg!! That is exactly what happened when i went back to look for it. It didn't bother me so im fine with it living with me. Loved your video. You have a great narrating voice. 😊 glad i found you, i am originally from Massachusetts but have lived in all four corners of the U.S. I am fascinated with bugs, but spiders especially. The ones in Washington state were crazy webbers. In the south they grow big and i think they have more aggression. The east coaster are more chill. Crazy how behaviors are different depending on their environment. I found at least 5 black widows in the ten yrs i spent in Arizona. Spiders there have to be tough, their nemesis is the scorpion 😂 anyway im going to start following your channel. People in my life are not bug people. 😂 thank you for your time and videos. ❤
I love when you make videos on ghese lesser-known, overlooked spider species. Here in New Jersey, there are so many different spiders that I just can't seem to find any information on- but it goes to show, if you look hard enough there's plenty to appreciate in each and every one of them. Like, every so often a new spider I've never seen before pops up and I'm just filled with such a childlike wonder, thinking about all the forgotten and untold stories behind each one. This is the same wonder I get from watching your videos, and I sincerely thank you for that. I wish I was able to support you on Patreon, and when I'm able I most certainly will, but for now i hope this bit kf engagement will help to spread this wonderful video and your channel to others.
I caught a spider that I had seen for two nights now. Turns out it’s an eastern parson spider. I put it in a container and it immediately began laying lines on the bottom of the container and I thought that was strange. Noticed it before I even watched this video (had to learn all about what kind of spider it was lol). I definitely think you’re on to something about it’s hunting style. Keep up the good work.
Thanks! There's a lot more to do to really establish this, but I've got a couple more of these spiders and I'm planning to study it further. I was delighted to find that arachnology is a field in which amateurs really can make valuable contributions.
Had these guys all over my house. To the point I needed to call in pest management because they were overly thriving off of an ant and moth problem I had. Can confirm they very occasionally belay from the ceiling, but prefer to scurry across floors and walls (if the floor is carpeted). I can also confirm they are generally very polite. They enjoy living in undisturbed clutter and seem to have a home base; usually under/next to a heavy piece of furniture or up on a permanent fixture on the wall. I've seen them get larger than what you described, nickel to quarter size in leg span and look almost grey at times due to so much hair. While they enjoy my basement the most, they do also enjoy my main floor, and have occasionally seen them over the garage. Despite the abundance of them in my living areas, I've not noticed a bite yet, even with them being knocked onto me while cleaning or toting bags of clutter. (I've not noticed them drop or fall from the ceiling). Now that I know what their egg sack looks like, I'll keep an eye out. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen them in my garage; that's mainly left to the various web weavers and fisherman spiders.
@@travismcenery2919 That was the idea! Especially since the ants and moths were destructive to the house. The spiders would either control their own population by adapting to less food or move on to a better location with more food(aka vacate the house). The house is mostly ant free and I still see a parson spider from time to time (once or twice a month compared to 2-3 times a week prior to pest control). I live in a heavily wooded area with a creek in the back, so there are always various creepy crawlies sneaking in and out. Including those lovely fishing spiders; nothing like being greeted by a very large and decently fast stripey lady right before a rainstorm.
To add some info/cred to your theories- I recently moved into a long abandoned house chock full of Eastern Parsons. Though I am in Montana, so perhaps Western. Regardless, they keep to themselves and are indeed fast- but mostly, the cheese test seemed spot on. Yesterday I finally put on some jeans without properly shaking them out first and a Parson had been wedged between my pants and my leg. Surely uncomfortable and nigh squished a time or two... finally felt something scuttling towards my ankle- shook my pant leg and there was the Parson. I just immediately thanked it profusely for NOT biting and relocated the feller. So this is some anecdotal confirmation!!! Great channel.
All of your videos are wonderful; but this one was so impressive! You took a spider that scientists labeled “boring” and found this crazy awesome hunting behavior! Absolutely loved this; please keep making these 😸
I had one of those guys crawling all over my face last night. I knew what it was right away (I saw them on the wall next to my bed a little before I got in), but that was an experience
Yes, new video! Hey Travis I been meaning to message you that you should cut up your hour long video about multiple spiders in to multiple additional videos. A lot of people don't watch hour-long videos (not me, I like long videos but UA-cam does not) and I bet you could gain more subscribers and views if you do :) Thanks for the great spider content!
I thought about that. The False Widow video was brutal. But a lot of the information tied together, and the spiders were sort of best viewed in relationship to each other. It was a tough call, honestly, and I still don't know whether it would have been better to split it up. But what we know about one steatoda sort of contextualizes what we know about the other ones... Who knows, I may come back to those.
Very cool spider that people don't seem to know anything about. Thank you for this awesome video and all the work you put into finding all this out. Definitely loved this one.❤🕷️
I just stumbled upon this video (UA-cam's odd algorithms), and im very pleased and excited to know know what this little goob was that I kept seeing out of the corner of my eye across my living room or bathroom floor! And it's a cute one too 😂 thank you!
Some anecdotal evidence here regarding the potential allergic aspect of their bites. Have lived many places in MN and MI, and while I've never caught my assailant red-handed the reason I am thinking parson spider is having found them in the sheets so many times while making the bed, where they're liable to get pressed against skin as you noted. I frequently get horribly itchy bites: a double-tap mark surrounded by ugly raised red/bruise welt that later scabs in the middle. Typically I notice first thing after waking up or after coming in from gardening and sometimes I'll get two next to each other as if the same guy bit twice. Symptoms last 1-2 weeks and my wife never gets these bites/reactions even though we're both in the same environment. That's why I estimate it's at least partially an immune response, i.e. allergic reaction (which I assumed was correct since "the internet" also said this and I didn't interrogate to the level that you did).
I do find them in my house on occasion and i have handled quite a few of them. The experience of holding them is very similar to a wolf spider of the same size. At first they'll often simply jump right off of my hands but after a few times of picking them up, they'll settle down and stop trying to escape. I was never bitten by any spiders while handling them which includes pretty much every species i've ever come across and there are a lot of them. The only spider bite i ever had was by a spider i never saw. I was moving a huge log that was blocking a trail. I picked up the log and moved it to the side of the trail, later that same day my arm was a bit itchy and i could see a bit of swelling in that area and two little red spot in the center of the bump. I never found out what species bit me but i think it bit me because my arm was probably jamming her to the log somehow since i never saw it .
Every new video that you put out just reminds me of how thrilled I am that you've made PRECISELY the spider channel I have always wanted to watch. You're taking the ordinary lil ho-hum spiders I see in my house and you're explaining them in copious detail. THANK YOU and please don't stop.
I can't tell you how much it means to hear this. This is exactly what I set out to do, so it is great to hear that the channel is hitting its mark. Thanks so much for this. I hope to keep going with it, if I can build the channel enough.
+
@@travismcenery2919 Please don't stop, every one of these videos you put out make my day and I hope to hear more about these!
Seconding this!
@@travismcenery2919 It really is super cool that you're doing this on a level that it could be sourced in Papers, even as an amateur you're collecting data that sometimes no one has. Including video footage! That's such a big deal in terms of recording species.
My house is infested with parson spiders, they absolutely crawl around on the ceiling and will climb into your bed. Not polite at all.
They get BIG for common house spiders too, they're cool but creepy
@@Pennali Yes! Creepy. I want to kill them!! Although jumping spiders are my absolute favourite. I love them, handle them, and let them out into the big outdoors. To me jumpers just have this cute vibe that doesn't strike fear in me (unless they are big). They feel like little pets.
Indeed. They'll come screaming across your furniture (i.e. the chair you're sitting in!), camp out in your cabinets, etc. They don't do so well inverted, so the ceiling will be a rare location to spot them. If they get pinched, they can give you a nip, but I've never known such a nip to be noteworthy.
Man's really out here leading research on spiders that have gone largely ignored for centuries and discovers that they're actually cool as ice. I always start the video wishing it was about jumping spiders or brown recluses but never ending it disappointed. Love Colleen and Stephanie, love your videos, love your work, keep it up this is great.
Thanks so much! I haven't covered jumping spiders or recluses because jumpers don't usually show up IN my house (unless I bring them in - I've got four in captivity right now), and recluses just don't exist where I live. I'll cover recluses at some point, but that one will take a LOT of research. Rick Vetter is probably the leading authority on them and wrote a book bout them, if you're interested in the meantime.
@@travismcenery2919 Yep. I usually find jumping spiders ON my house, not in it. Generally, they're somewhere near a door or window and they're nearly always the really tiny little black and white ones. I'd call them zebra spiders, but the description for those has even the males much larger than the ones I see. The ones I find are usually 3 to 4 mm long, including the legs. They could be juveniles I suppose, but I never see any larger than that.
I'll be interested to see what you do on recluses. I'm pretty convinced that they get a bad rap. I rarely see reports of a recluse bite that has any actual proof that it was a recluse or even a spider bite. I know there are real cases, but I really doubt there are as many as reported.
@@travismcenery2919 Have you considered covering the typical green colored spiders one might find in gardens?
@@travismcenery2919oh I'm quite familiar with recluses, being from the Midwest. I've known about them and dealt with them for my entire life, but I know a lot of people with similar levels of experience who fall for a lot of wives tales about the old fiddleback and it's got me curious about how pure my own knowledge is.
Scientific terms like "Biteyness" and "practically ninjas" are what make this the superior spood channel.
I also enjoy explaining how "I saw this Canadian dude chasing after a spider with a piece of cheese."
*There's also some random frames changing, split second, especially during the chasing of said spider with said cheese.
Yes, those frames are cuts in the footage - if you watch, you can see the timer in the corner skip. The entire cheese test was five minutes long, so I chopped it up, and used those frames to indicate the cuts.
Came here because this little fella just popped up in my house & i wanted answers. Not only was i informed, i was entertained. Great video
Same lmao, I have one I keep seeing in my bedroom and I thought it was a wolf spider for the longest time. I just got the chance to see it up close without it running away and was able to actually identify it as a parson spider. Pretty cool lil fella, hope he keeps the flies and silverfish away lol
Had one of these guys in my room last month and I got him into a jar and was able to ID him, I let him outside after but damn he was fast
I love the "toddler with your phone" analogy.
Thanks
Im very impressed that you so casually made the ground work to further investigate these spiders behaviour. Your discovery about the hunting "Bungee Lines" is very astounding. Please keep doing your videos.
I'm trying! Hoping to grow the channel so I can keep delivering this stuff, and I'm going to keep researching these spiders.
“This is a spider you’ll see for a brief moment and then it’ll be gone. They’re maddeningly quick and if you try to catch one, they’ll often dodge and weave and generally outmaneuver you LIKE A TODDLER WHO JUST MADE OFF WITH YOUR PHONE.” 😂😂
Sounds like you speak from experience. 🤣
You are right. That's why I have a spray bottle with alcohol in it and that stops them from running then I smash smash.
@@yeetee2781the toddlers? 😂
@@horizon319 🤣🤣 the spider
these dapper little dudes are surprisingly unique. i always figured they were another "haul ass and chase it down" hunting species when i saw them around, but the detail about how they might be using silk to tangle up prey and then absorb the shock from their kicking is extremely cool. i also thought it was surprising how a species that literally attacks other spiders for food and drags its catch around by the throat isn't trigger happy about biting in self-defense, like. at all. i've gotten more attitude from cellar spiders over brushing up against their web.
Yup, I was surprised by the behaviour I saw too. Gonna keep observing and trying to catch the strike behaviour in slow motion.
I love that you're doing legit research on spiders now, I'm excited to see where it leads in the future.
I also find this species really cool looking! So velvety, and such stylish b&w coloring.
Yup, these are beautiful up close. And I kind of stumbled into doing actual research, just because there was actually so little study done on them, I could barely make a video out of it.
definitely some cool hunting behaviours revealed be your research! Thanks for the finds, I like this spider a little more now
I' have been awaiting this very episode and had intended to search for your study of the EPS this weekend, but no need; "The Spiders in Your Home" and the Eastern Parson Spider found me 😊
I could not have been more delighted!
Thank you❤🕷️
I am absolutely cracking up that you chose to do this spider next. I just caught one a couple of days ago and spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to identify it. It was very small and ridiculously fast. I probably wouldn't have trapped it at all if my cat hadn't cornered it first.
Seriously, they always jumpscare me with how fast they are! Only faster spider I have personally encountered was togo starburst tarantula...but those also have a nasty bite and are MUCH larger.
That's a happy coincidence! And yup, they're awfully quick.
Wicked fast!!!!
dang bro ones right by my bed and me having a large fear of spiders is afraid to go asleep
@@iamjustkiwi I was trying to catch the Eastern spooder and i had to adjust the cup for a second, as soon as i opened the glass it jumped at my face
I’m here because I’ve just captured a Parsons spider. I wanted to comment on biteyness:
I found the lil guy on my floor, I’ve seen him around the house, but I love having them around as I have a ton of plants and they’re super beneficial. This guy was just curled up in the dead middle of the floor. I immediately assumed something was wrong, turns out he was just dehydrated (quickly slurped up the water I gave him after capture)
WELL… when trying to coax him into my glass jar, he bit the pen I was using probably 3 times. I’ll be honest, my usual preach is to use my hands to do the coaxing, but noticing something was wrong, I figured id use the pen.
He turned to bite IMMEDIATELY. Lil bro was not playing around. Just feeling the vibration of the pen tip next to him set him into defense/offense mode. Maybe he’s starving? Maybe he’s in fight or flight mode, idk but he was not happy about that pen.
21:59 This webbing tecniche is quite fascinating, i have seen wall spiders(Oecobius) do this quite frequently, it's amazing how effective and safe it is for the spider to catch prey this way and it's amazing the speed in which they spin around their target, you should do a video on wall spiders they are extremely common in homes.
Outstanding presentation, as always. The "cheese test" is a telling one really as if that's what you're doing to a spider and get bit, I will not be blaming the spider anyway. I'd argue most common spiders are hard to get to bite you if you wanted them to. They're almost domesticated at this point.
I am shocked people overlook these spiders! Compared to most of the other spiders I encounter they’re pretty big (granted I usually only see jumping spiders and sac spiders in my house) and they’re so pretty! I love the almost golden patterns on their backs and their little red boots.
I just had one of these little guys crawl on me while watching TV this weekend! He was a polite gentleman and didn't enter defensive pose no matter how much we pestered him. 10/10 spider. Cute, friendly, and tidy.
I'm a big fan of the detailed explanations and clear well-read scripts! I'm always excited to see these videos in my notification feed. I always share them in my groups of friends
Thanks for the shares! And I'm glad you're enjoying the channel.
Love your videos! Not only are you helping long-time arachnophobes like myself become less afraid, but you are actively furthering our scientific understanding of these funky little dudes. Cheers to more spiders in my (and your) house!
Thanks so much for the comment, I appreciate it!
I saved one of these guys from the bathtub one night. I also found a yellow sac spider in the bathroom before along with a cellar spider. We get quite the selection some years.
O Travis, your videos keep getting better and better, and I just have to tell you something RIGHT NOW..
For most of my life, I maintained a strict "see it, scream and squish it" position when it came to spiders. I had no interest, and in fact felt violated when one would spook me. They were uninvited and not welcome in my home. And then I saw your first video. UA-cam threw it at me randomly, and I was fascinated. The way you delivered information made me feel like you were my dad, cooly addressing me like I was your freaked-out fourteen year-old daughter (I am also a middle-age man, but I'm more bald than you tho so ha). And you got me to calm down and actually look at the spider as a living thing.
That video completely changed my home. When I see spiders now, I am actually happy. I look forward to each video you put out, and learn so much about all these friends in my house (I even give them names!). I have not squashed a single spider (or any bug-things) ever since I found your channel. You have inspired within myself a profound respect for all of the creatures around me that I once "hated." Thank you so much for your work, it truly is a thrill following you and learning from you.
This afternoon I made an omelet, and a little eight-legged dude skittered out from under my cabinet. I named him Travis.
Thank you so much for this. This is so encouraging to hear. I don't even really know what to say, but I'm touched that it has inspired a new appreciation in you. Thank you.
We have a pretty healthy colony of parson spiders in our home. We see them mostly on our main floors (finished walk out basement and 1st floor) and generally on the ceilings (we have popcorn ceilings). They are crazy fast, and I agree that their house politeness is pretty high.
This is one of my fav videos of yours because I see these dudes everywhere. I called them sportscar spiders before I knew what they were because they’re low riding, zoom about and have a racing stripe
just goes to show that there's no such thing as an uninteresting organism, only an overlooked one!
thanks for another great video, i am excited to possibly see more of stephanie and colleen's adventures in future installments :)
When I moved into my home in September 2022 (east central MN), there were a TON of these in my house. I would see multiple individuals a day and while sleeping on ground the first couple of days, I had to gently shake them out of my bedding.
I did experience a couple of bites during this time. A bit uncomfortable, but much less so than that of yellow sac spiders and others I have experienced.
The high quantity of them really surprised me, but that said, I still miss them since they've moved out.
Cute little friends.
I found the yellow sac spider flashes amusing.
This is an amazing video. I just love the thorough, careful research being done, and the way that you present all of the information, and the humor that comes through.
+
This is the most fascinating one yet, maybe because there isn't much literature on these, but the elastic thread thing kind of goes against the active running down of prey. They obviously go for bigger things when they have established ground or wall lines that both act as safety lines and pull them out of harm's way so they can deal with the prey in a safe and methodical manner. Brilliant Travis, you really have found your speciality and theres nothing better than working at something you love and which fascinates you.
I think this might be your very best video yet, and I find this little genus of spiders incredibly fascinating now. Clearly they need to be studied in further detail!
I loved these little guys in my old house. I don’t see them much in my current apartment but I liked them a lot because the were small and generally just darted around until they found their way outside, and they were probably the first spider I caught with a capture cup because they’re so small. Fast, but neat and welcome in my place. :)
I live on Long island in NY state. So east coast. My first experience with these parson spiders was back in the early 2000's. Found one in garrage and thought it peculiar and wanted to know what it was. At first i started calling it a "copper back" because its back makings, instead of that silvery white color, were a pinkish copper color. Later on was able to learn that it was a parsons spider.
Ive come across a few others since then and and those all had the silver whitish back markings. But other than color, all of them were identical to the copper back one. Its a very tough voracious little spider. One of them i put into a jar with a yellow sack spider. Both about the same in size. And by next day the parsons had devoured the yellow sack spider.
And oh yeah, more than once i have come across them because they were running up my wall while i was watching TV.
Was chilling in bed and one of these little guys crawled up the wall
I’ve started identifying spiders I find in the house then finding your video to see how polite they are before trying to relocate them, figure if they’re good housemates might as well live and let live
With only one identified bite, I think I’m ok with my roommate
Thank you for your videos!
I have a Western Parson's living in my kitchen, and she's super efficient at killing the big brown shield stinkbugs that are prevalent here in the PNW
25:23 the parson's in my kitchen did this too with her most recent kill. She got the stinkbug in the abdomen but turned it around to feed from its neck.
Thank you so much for making these videos! As a person living in the city with an interest in zoology (especially arthropods, and especially arachnids) your videos are an excellent resource to explore the biodiversity of the (at first) seemingly sterile urban landscape. I now enjoy looking for and identifying the little spiders who live in and around my house and I have a somehow even greater appreciation for these videos. I always look forward to a new video from this channel, keep up the good work!
I just caught and released one of these things in my home. Of all places, it actually entered my bedroom through the doorway, crawling on the wall near the ceiling. As with most spiders I encountered, I didn't expect it to be a threat. That being said, crawling on the wall in my bedroom was an accident waiting to happen. Right now, it must be doing its thing outside, keeping the pests in check.
Gnaphosidae?! I’ve always called these “silkies” because of the sleek, shiny and silky appearance of their opisthosoma.
Awesome, thank you.
While supposedly this spider is very common in my area, I have only ever seen it once. It was “spider season” and I usually only find wolf spiders and once a black footed yellow sac spider (who I named boots) indoors and then see the odd fishing spider and MANY different species of jumping spiders outdoors. Last year I found a Parson spider and got so excited because I had never seen one in the house before!! I managed to catch it in a cup (we keep some out bc the cat likes to kill bugs and my 85 lbs dog’s nickname is “Stompy” bc he… well, he stompy all over the place, so we try to catch and release before spider death lol). I showed my dad who had gotten me interested in spiders and we both were stupidly excited about it. I shared your wolf spider video with him as that is both our favorite species. :) thank you for loving these often underrated and under appreciated little creepy crawlies as much as they deserve!!
I just caught one of these this morning. He went in the pants I was going to wear, and instead of killing it (because I'm literally terrified of spider's)
I put him in a terrarium I had set up.
This video was very helpful!
Side note- my pants were in my closet (a dark place)
I don't keep clothes on the floor😅
Finally a Channel with good content without all the fluff.
Thank you.
Thank you so much! Glad you're enjoying the channel.
This was the perfect entertainment for a sick day, thank you! These are indeed THEE spiders in my house. They may not be the main characters in the spider kingdom at large, but they are in my apartment.
Glad it was entertaining, and hope you feel better soon! And that's some good luck - they're easy spiders to get a long with.
I know this was a year ago, but on top of the rear legs staying on the thread of silk, watch them run- it doesn't seem like they use their back legs much. Almost like they just drag them. Might be a specialized technique you've found
once again Great video Travis, Gnaphosidae are actually one of my favourite families to study, i've been studying their taxonomy for a while and while its extremely hard (most are with the same habitus, females have barely differentiated vulvas) they still are absolutely fascinating little buggers, also some species are more specialized with ant hunting, and many have mirmecophilous relationships with many ants, like Anagraphis. or are mirmecomorphs like Micaria
I came across a lot of that while looking for research on herpyllus. I've read that most gnaphosids are difficult to identify - the parson is nice in that it's pretty easy to spot.
brilliant video as always--the affection you express for the spiders in these videos never fails to make me smile
I love that you have a spider named Colleen. That was my moms name. She was born in Canada. I miss her. She passed away in 1982 when I was 14. Give Colleen all my love ❤. Love your videos.
Thanks for this vid and your channel! I moved to an area with more spiders than where I grew up, and living alone I’m learning how to deal with encountering them constantly and alone. Learning about the species I meet day to day helps me come from a place of interest rather than fear.
I see parsons spiders probably the most often! I call them sports car spiders because of how they look and how fast they are :)
I love this spider more than pretty much anything, when I see one I practically jump for joy. I love spiders in general, and it started because I have fond memories of running into these exact spiders in my teens, ever since then when I run into one I just stare at it for an hour or so. I love these guys, it’s awesome learning some more about them! A shame I didn’t know about your channel sooner, but at least now I can work through watching your other videos :]
It’s insane to me that something so common could have so little research on it in 2023. Like my assumption is that researchers have documented all they could on species we know of and so the species we see more get studied more.
When it comes to spiders, we know so little about many of them that anyone who is a careful observer can discover new things! It's very exciting. Honestly the species that get studied the most, at least with bugs, are economically important ones like crop pests, or very dangerous/venomous ones. Spiders are neither so they don't get as much attention.
I completely agree with the top comment on this video. Never knew how much I wanted someone to explain spiders in copious detail to me. I would watch you explain ANY species of spider, not even just the commonly encountered household ones. But I LOVE that you do the household ones because I hope these videos help people with their arachnophobia. Spiders are just so neat. Tiny little eight legged panthers.
And I've said this in nearly every comment on your videos but the cheese test is fucking delightful. I was so excited when I found out what it was for the first time and I love seeing it again every single time it happens. What a joy.
Very cool research, and great observations on the "bungee" hunting method! (Also, I thought the Snuffleupagus comment was pretty darn funny.)
Thanks! The Snuffleupagus thing was actually my wife's idea, so I'll pass the credit on to her for that. I had her review my script for this and she had some really great feedback, and a couple of ideas to throw in.
silk retreat...such a stephanie.
Haha!
I just found one that just came out of my bathroom sink. I caught it and I am observing it now. Thanks for the great info
This is probably one of the most interesting videos I've ever seen about spiders. So many just quote "facts" that turn out to be anecdotal, at best.
Yup - that's why I find it interesting to read the actual papers. I can see how the experiment was done, how they got to certain conclusions, and the strength of those conclusions. Some things are "yup, we've got that figured out", and others are more "evidence suggests this, but there could be other explanations, too".
Why is science roasting the little spider😭😭😭
It's probably tasty or something.
Idk
I don't want to eat the bugs
@@herec0mestheCh33f I will surgically remove your fingers if you ever say something like that agen
lol it’s that whole you if it can’t kill anyone and your not scary looking, make cool webs or just cool looking nobody cares 😢😅😂
I encountered a parson for the first time last night in my room last night and swiftly caught it in a jar like I do with most of my spider friends. It was an easy catch for me but I do this often. It seemed a little agitated but polite enough to be completely real. It did wrap up the bodies of the other spiders in the jar that it found before I let it outside and there is a really big web in my window where it was living before it got curious and crawled into my room
Thank you so much for your channel. I was bit by a parsons spider in bed, and it left 2 red marks where the fangs penetrated the skin. It iched for a couple of days, and then it healed.
Absolutely loved this video. Gotta show my wife, the jump pad is so unique
I'm hoping to study it further.
Dang dude you're doing real science! Let's go!!!
Looks that way, yes! I sent extended footage to Dr. Scott and Dr. McCann, and they think it's worth me looking into, so I'm going to. I really love this species. I didn't set out to specifically research, but the void of information on this species compelled me to. There was literally so little published data that this could have been a very boring video...
Just found one above me working from home! Stumbled across your video very thorough, informative and fun 👍
just caught one of these, photographed it, and threw it outside.. And here I am, after reviewing the zoomed in photo, unmistakably the pattern and spinnerets of the Easter Parson Spider... To add to your research from the movement section.. I live in an A-frame wooden cabin in northern Michigan. I often see them at night when I'm up in the loft running between the cracks in my walls/ceiling (It's an A-frame, so they are mostly upside down) I also see them from time to time in my kitchen sink. Again, usually nocturnally. And yesterday, I saw one running across the floor, I chased it to catch it, and it disappeared into a shockingly tight crack in between floor boards.. I know many animals can fit in tight spaces but when I say that it was a tight crack, I mean I doubt I could get a piece of paper to fit into it... So they are obviously very swift, flexible and adaptive.
Yeah, I've seen these spiders disappear into impossibly small spaces. I honestly don't know how they do it but they're masters of their craft.
I'd love to have a show like this for UK spiders!!!!
these always hit the part of my brain specifically for spiders just right
Haha, glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the comment!
I'm really glad I stumbled across your channel. I haven't looked just yet, but if you haven't made a follow-up with additional research, I hope you do at some point.
Caught one that was on my kitchen window screen today. Just beyond that window I have substantial landscaping. Was happy to scoop her quickly in a cup and return her to that landscaping bed. Thanks for the great images. I am confident this is the type I see around my house in NE.
Glad the images for helpful, and thanks for relocating the spider!
Hey Travis! Great video as always. Rewatching this again as I am wont to do. These guys are adorable! I don't think I've ever seen one around here in New Jersey but I will definitely have to keep my eyes out! What awesome footage you got, and fantastic breakdown of your observations! Man spiders are the best. Keep up the awesome work!
- Charlotte
Thanks so much! Yeah, after working with Stephanie and Colleen, Parson spiders hold a special place in my heart now. I really love this species.
Those spinerettes are so strange!!!!
I found one of these, the sob was huge, and I've owned tarantula's in the past, it wasn't nearly as big, but this was a big spider.
4 Years ago, I was sleeping on the floor of a trailer we rented near a river in NW Michigan. I got bit in my sleep by one the size of a quarter. I had quite a reaction. I can send you a picture of the reaction and the Parson Spider if you like. Now I own my own cabin in NE Michigan and we just found 10, but they are about the size of a dime.
I found said Eastern Parson in my home and started googling. Glad to have found it and it having led me to your channel. Great video. Looking forward to watching more of your content.
Welcome to the channel, and thanks so much!
Thanks for this series.
Just found one in my bathtub (western most likely - Iowa) sadly I freaked out and flushed it down the tub drain, looked up the description on them and found your channel so it was a win win I'd say, I love jumping spiders but all others scare me. I'd love to learn more about spider species so that I can live side by side with them without fear.
I found one of these on my wall, and for the first time ever (arachnophobic) I caught this thing in a cup and let it outside. Afterwards, found this video saying how these spiders are basically ninjas and I'm feeling much more capable for the next one that comes around 😂
I love these lil guys
Me too. The more I learned about them the more I loved them.
I kept one for a short time until I ID'd it, but I wish I did more with it! Truly more interesting than the scientists give credit for.
THANK YOU!
And btw, if you DO find yourself looking at other inverts....I suggest Roaches or Silverfish. It fits your theme. haha
Thanks for the comment! And yeah, there was some unexpected stuff here.
I’ve been bit by one and yes, their bites are pretty harsh imo. It’s still to this day the only spider bite that I’ve consciously been aware of due to the suddenness and sharpness of the pain, and actually seeing the little guy drop off my shoulder and try to scurry away.
Like dude…you’re on *me*, it wasn’t my fault! It was definitely scared of course, in reality.
Still though, stood out for me.
We've been keeping one of these for a couple months and it's made an awesome web and is a great hunter too
They seem pretty easy to keep, and are amazing hunters.
Great work. Very interesting. I'm now thinking about keeping a terrarium with a spider.
I can't wait to see what else you learn about these spiders!
Very cool what you were able to find out here. I hope you'll update us in the future if you find out more about their hunting behavior!
Definitely! I'm excited to keep working with these spiders. Stephanie and Colleen are both alive and well, and I still have them. My daughter found me another one, too, plus I have that juvenile, so that's four parsons I've got now. The sample size is growing.
+
OMG, Gnaphosids are NOT boring!
Even the tiny black Zelotes species I have are FULL of personalty and have some fascinating behaviors. They are so small but are some of the most fearless spiders I have encountered and are remarkably interactive.
Apparently there are some Zelotes that occur here in Nova Scotia, but I haven't encountered them myself. I'll have to watch for them.
@@travismcenery2919 The ones here are very small and solid black. They must be very stealthy outside because I actually have never seen one outside. Undoubtedly nocturnal.
They make their way inside enough that I know there is plenty of them out there too.
I just hate that some company named their cheap computer mouse _Zelotes_ because it just clogged up all my searches with sales links and made finding good information very hard.
We have eastern parson spiders in our house. Probably more than we would like. Very quick and we've found a couple that were quite hefty, like quarter size. We’re in Fairfield County CT.
Omg!! That is exactly what happened when i went back to look for it. It didn't bother me so im fine with it living with me. Loved your video. You have a great narrating voice. 😊 glad i found you, i am originally from Massachusetts but have lived in all four corners of the U.S. I am fascinated with bugs, but spiders especially. The ones in Washington state were crazy webbers. In the south they grow big and i think they have more aggression. The east coaster are more chill. Crazy how behaviors are different depending on their environment. I found at least 5 black widows in the ten yrs i spent in Arizona. Spiders there have to be tough, their nemesis is the scorpion 😂 anyway im going to start following your channel. People in my life are not bug people. 😂 thank you for your time and videos. ❤
I love when you make videos on ghese lesser-known, overlooked spider species. Here in New Jersey, there are so many different spiders that I just can't seem to find any information on- but it goes to show, if you look hard enough there's plenty to appreciate in each and every one of them. Like, every so often a new spider I've never seen before pops up and I'm just filled with such a childlike wonder, thinking about all the forgotten and untold stories behind each one. This is the same wonder I get from watching your videos, and I sincerely thank you for that. I wish I was able to support you on Patreon, and when I'm able I most certainly will, but for now i hope this bit kf engagement will help to spread this wonderful video and your channel to others.
I caught a spider that I had seen for two nights now. Turns out it’s an eastern parson spider. I put it in a container and it immediately began laying lines on the bottom of the container and I thought that was strange. Noticed it before I even watched this video (had to learn all about what kind of spider it was lol). I definitely think you’re on to something about it’s hunting style. Keep up the good work.
Thanks so much! I'm hoping to continue studying this behaviour in these spiders.
I watch your videos at 1.5 speed, and love the theme at that speed >___>
Easily the most reliable and relaxing way to learn about spiders. Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks so much!
This looks like some pretty thorough research, definitely warrants looking further into it
Thanks! There's a lot more to do to really establish this, but I've got a couple more of these spiders and I'm planning to study it further. I was delighted to find that arachnology is a field in which amateurs really can make valuable contributions.
Had these guys all over my house. To the point I needed to call in pest management because they were overly thriving off of an ant and moth problem I had. Can confirm they very occasionally belay from the ceiling, but prefer to scurry across floors and walls (if the floor is carpeted). I can also confirm they are generally very polite. They enjoy living in undisturbed clutter and seem to have a home base; usually under/next to a heavy piece of furniture or up on a permanent fixture on the wall. I've seen them get larger than what you described, nickel to quarter size in leg span and look almost grey at times due to so much hair. While they enjoy my basement the most, they do also enjoy my main floor, and have occasionally seen them over the garage. Despite the abundance of them in my living areas, I've not noticed a bite yet, even with them being knocked onto me while cleaning or toting bags of clutter. (I've not noticed them drop or fall from the ceiling). Now that I know what their egg sack looks like, I'll keep an eye out. Come to think of it, I don't think I've seen them in my garage; that's mainly left to the various web weavers and fisherman spiders.
So... pest control was there to deal with the ants and moths, right? Solve that, and the spider problem will solve itself.
@@travismcenery2919 That was the idea! Especially since the ants and moths were destructive to the house. The spiders would either control their own population by adapting to less food or move on to a better location with more food(aka vacate the house). The house is mostly ant free and I still see a parson spider from time to time (once or twice a month compared to 2-3 times a week prior to pest control). I live in a heavily wooded area with a creek in the back, so there are always various creepy crawlies sneaking in and out. Including those lovely fishing spiders; nothing like being greeted by a very large and decently fast stripey lady right before a rainstorm.
To add some info/cred to your theories- I recently moved into a long abandoned house chock full of Eastern Parsons. Though I am in Montana, so perhaps Western. Regardless, they keep to themselves and are indeed fast- but mostly, the cheese test seemed spot on. Yesterday I finally put on some jeans without properly shaking them out first and a Parson had been wedged between my pants and my leg. Surely uncomfortable and nigh squished a time or two... finally felt something scuttling towards my ankle- shook my pant leg and there was the Parson. I just immediately thanked it profusely for NOT biting and relocated the feller. So this is some anecdotal confirmation!!! Great channel.
All of your videos are wonderful; but this one was so impressive! You took a spider that scientists labeled “boring” and found this crazy awesome hunting behavior! Absolutely loved this; please keep making these 😸
I had one of those guys crawling all over my face last night. I knew what it was right away (I saw them on the wall next to my bed a little before I got in), but that was an experience
Your uploads make my day, before I even watch them. Love this channel and this series
Thanks so much!
EXCELLENT INFORMATIVE VIDEO!!! Thank You 🙏 so much for taking the time to make it!!!
Thanks so much, I was glad to! I find these spiders really fascinating.
Yes, new video! Hey Travis I been meaning to message you that you should cut up your hour long video about multiple spiders in to multiple additional videos. A lot of people don't watch hour-long videos (not me, I like long videos but UA-cam does not) and I bet you could gain more subscribers and views if you do :) Thanks for the great spider content!
I thought about that. The False Widow video was brutal. But a lot of the information tied together, and the spiders were sort of best viewed in relationship to each other. It was a tough call, honestly, and I still don't know whether it would have been better to split it up. But what we know about one steatoda sort of contextualizes what we know about the other ones... Who knows, I may come back to those.
Very cool spider that people don't seem to know anything about. Thank you for this awesome video and all the work you put into finding all this out. Definitely loved this one.❤🕷️
Thanks so much!
@@travismcenery2919 You're very welcome and thank you for the awesome content on these amazing spiders.
That intro. Even after all the other vids. Still can’t get enough of it.
Very interesting! Love to see your experiments. I think I just put one of these guys outside this morning.
I just stumbled upon this video (UA-cam's odd algorithms), and im very pleased and excited to know know what this little goob was that I kept seeing out of the corner of my eye across my living room or bathroom floor! And it's a cute one too 😂 thank you!
You're most welcome, and welcome to the channel!
Thank you for sharing this cute spider!
It was my pleasure. I really love this species.
Some anecdotal evidence here regarding the potential allergic aspect of their bites. Have lived many places in MN and MI, and while I've never caught my assailant red-handed the reason I am thinking parson spider is having found them in the sheets so many times while making the bed, where they're liable to get pressed against skin as you noted. I frequently get horribly itchy bites: a double-tap mark surrounded by ugly raised red/bruise welt that later scabs in the middle. Typically I notice first thing after waking up or after coming in from gardening and sometimes I'll get two next to each other as if the same guy bit twice. Symptoms last 1-2 weeks and my wife never gets these bites/reactions even though we're both in the same environment. That's why I estimate it's at least partially an immune response, i.e. allergic reaction (which I assumed was correct since "the internet" also said this and I didn't interrogate to the level that you did).
One of these guys woke me up as I was falling asleep. Jumped out of bed because I felt something crawling on me ahaha. Their speed also surprised me
Yup, they're quick little guys!
I'm new here, and you're doing a great job!
Very informative and entertaining.
I do find them in my house on occasion and i have handled quite a few of them.
The experience of holding them is very similar to a wolf spider of the same size.
At first they'll often simply jump right off of my hands but after a few times of picking them up, they'll settle down and stop trying to escape.
I was never bitten by any spiders while handling them which includes pretty much every species i've ever come across and there are a lot of them.
The only spider bite i ever had was by a spider i never saw. I was moving a huge log that was blocking a trail. I picked up the log and moved it to the side of the trail, later that same day my arm was a bit itchy and i could see a bit of swelling in that area and two little red spot in the center of the bump.
I never found out what species bit me but i think it bit me because my arm was probably jamming her to the log somehow since i never saw it .