When: October 9, 2026 @ 5:30 pm
Help Mainspring catalogue the spider diversity at Tessentee Bottomland Preserve!
The native spider diversity of the Southern Appalachians is booming! Over 460 species of arachnids have been documented in the region, but so far only 18 have been reported on iNaturalist at Tessentee. These wild creatures to live in our gardens, wildflower meadows, and even pots on our porches, benefitting humans, wildlife, and the environment. How many species can we find in one day? Join Mainspring partnering with Science Across NC to identify as many species of spider as we can!
During this walk, we’ll learn about the spider life cycle, what they eat, how they hunt, and how to look for them. We will also touch on the invasive Joro spider and collect the ones we find for removal. Please bring any magnifying tools you’d like to use, as well as any spider field guides you may have. We will have magnifying tools available to borrow as well.
This workshop will occur on Friday October 9th from 5:30pm-8:30pm at
Tessentee Bottomland Preserve in Otto just south of Franklin. Please plan to arrive a few minutes early to park and get settled; the workshop will start promptly at 5:30pm. This event will be an approximately 1.25 mile walk along the trails at Tessentee. The trails are fairly wide and grassy with mild sloping. The end of the walk we will be walking in a woodland trail going uphill. We recommend dressing for the weather, including water-resistant shoes for the dewy grass. We also suggest bringing water and hiking poles if you use them!
How to Participate in the Spider Search
- Find a place to make observations of spiders.
- Take photos of as many species of spiders as you can find with the iNaturalist smartphone app or use a camera and upload them through the iNaturalist website. You do not need to know how to identify the things you see – iNaturalist will help you!
- Submit your observations through the Naturalist website or app, available for Android and Apple! All observations must be uploaded to iNaturalist by October 31 to count toward the NC Spider Search.
For more information, visit the Science Across NC website: https://scienceacrossnc.org/events/spiders/
Questions about this event? Email Alina at [email protected]
How to identify a Joro Spider, a highly invasive introduced spider that is taking over Welch FarmHere is an article about the invasive Joro Spider: https://cherokeemastergardeners.com/the-joro-spider-an-unwelcome-addition-to-the-georgia-landscape/
This event is free with a suggested donation is 0-$20. No one will be turned away for lack of funds, but please give what you can. Your support allows us to protect the special creatures, plants, landscapes, and heritage of WNC for all to enjoy! Donations can be made online (select “upcoming event” from the dropdown box), or by cash or check at the event.
Meet Your Teacher
As Mainspring’s Conservation Outreach Associate, Alina Martin aims to encourage the protection and appreciation of land by connecting communities to the birds, lichens, plants, amphibians, and insects that share our home here in the Southern Blue Ridge. Her birding adventures up have introduced her to a wide variety of habitats, and those experiences make her love South Appalachia all the more and inspire her to continue nurturing her understanding of ecology. Armed with her strong identification knowledge, Alina leads a variety of educational programs here at Mainspring, and finds something curious and new each time. She is a life-long birder, all-around naturalist, and avid user and of eBird and iNaturalist.
