Of the 41,000 identified species of spiders, in less than 70 species do individuals live communally. Since the vast majority of spiders are fiercely solitary, the few social spiders are ideal for investigating the evolution of group living. Professor Elise Ferree will talk about the research she and her students have done with golden-orb web spiders at Pitzer College’s Firestone Center for Restoration Ecology in Costa Rica. These spiders form facultative aggregations: roughly 50% of spiders in their population are solitary, while the other females form small colonies of 2-3 spiders. She will discuss their recent work to uncover the costs and benefits of being in a group, whether females of all sizes benefit from group living, and how environmental factors influence the decision to cluster. Along the way, Ferree will share some interesting natural history and surprising observations from their time in the rainforest.
If you wish to purchase a lunch or pick up a lunch, the Malott Commons Dining Hall opens at 11:15am. Doors open to the Hampton Room at 11:45am.