A Report on the Spiders and Other Arthropods of Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary Currituck County, North Carolina

lepidopteran — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 03:24:16 +0000

A Report on the Spiders and Other Arthropods of Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary Currituck County, North Carolina lepidopteran Sun, 08/03/2025 - 23:24

Abstract: From May 31, 2025 to June 04, 2025 a survey of spiders and other arthropods was conducted at the 2,600-acre Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary, in the barrier island portion of Currituck County, North Carolina.
The habitat in this diverse area includes extensive Freshwater Marshes, Maritime Forest, Stable Dune Barrens, Ponds (shallow, rain filled), Old Fields, Lawns or mowed fields, Human Structures/houses, Maritime Evergreen Forest, Maritime Swamp Forest, Maritime Shrub, Maritime Wet Grassland and Maritime Shrub Swamp. (M. Schafale, NCHP site survey)
Methods in each above habitat included day-time visual surveys, sweep netting, litter sifting, beat sheets, vacuum, nighttime visual surveys with headlamp and nighttime visual surveys with UV light.
A total of 89 species of spiders were detected, which is a robust number for any one site in a short window of surveys in one season. Each habitat had a diversity and abundance of arthropods. Many habitat specialists were present, and some families were represented with species adapted to their habitats to the exclusion of others.
The presence of habitat specialists and overall diversity of arthropods and predatory arthropods, would indicate the habitat here is pristine and a keystone to biodiversity in coastal habitats.
The vast majority of sightings were new records for this under surveyed county. Very little work has been done in this portion of the state and historic records are obscure on which county or state where collections have occurred.
All records have been submitted to the North Carolina Biodiversity Project (NCBP) databases, including the Arachnids of North Carolina, Butterflies of North Carolina, Odonates of North Carolina, Beetles of North Carolina and Moths of North Carolina.
Several voucher specimens were obtained and will be stored at the NCSU Entomology Laboratory, GUID numbers will be attached to vouchers and added to the database records on the NCBP. Photograph based identifications were made for common species, and are subject to errors involved with the methodology.

/sites/default/files/publications/A%20Report%20on%20the%20Spiders%20of%20Pine%20Island%20Audubon%20Sanctuary%2C%20Currituck%20County%2C%20North%20Carolina_0.pdf

Brian Bockhahn

2025

Bockhahn, B. (2025). A Report on the Spiders and Other Arthropods of Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary Currituck County, North Carolina. A Report to the Pine Island Audubon Center, National Audubon Society.

Arachnids

A Report on the Spiders of Bat Fork and Ochlawaha Bogs Henderson County, North Carolina

lepidopteran — Mon, 04 Aug 2025 03:11:58 +0000

A Report on the Spiders of Bat Fork and Ochlawaha Bogs Henderson County, North Carolina lepidopteran Sun, 08/03/2025 - 23:11

Abstract: Spider surveys were conducted at two Plant Conservation Program bogs in Henderson County, North Carolina. Research methods were sweep net, beat sheet, litter sifting and visual observations day and night. Each site was visited at least once at night and each was visited three times from spring to fall.

Bat Fork Bog was visited on 30 June 2024 daytime, 26 Jun 2024 day and night, and 5 Sep 2024 daytime only. Ochlawaha Bog was visited on 26 Jun 2024 daytime only, 1 Aug 2024 day and night, and 5 Sep 2024 day and night.

Generally the habitat was very productive for spider diversity, with 54 species documented at Bat Fork Bog and 65 species at Ochlawaha bog. One target species I was looking for was an undescribed jumping spider that occurs in Bunched Arrowhead Preserve in nearby South Carolina. It was not detected, likely owing to these sites being a higher elevation site than those bogs in SC.

All records have been submitted to the North Carolina Biodiversity Project (NCBP) databases, including the Arachnids of North Carolina Spiders of North Carolina, Butterflies of North Carolina, Odonates of North Carolina, Beetles of North Carolina and Moths of North Carolina.

Several voucher specimens were obtained and will be stored at the NCSU Entomology Laboratory, GUID numbers will be attached to vouchers and added to the database records on the NCBP. Photograph based identifications were made for common species and are subject to errors involved with that methodology.

/sites/default/files/publications/A%20Report%20on%20the%20Spiders%20of%20Bat%20Fork%20and%20Ochlawaha%20Bogs%20Henderson%20County%20North%20Carolina.pdf

Brian Bockhahn

2025

Bockhahn, B. (2025). A Report on the Spiders of Bat Fork and Ochlawaha Bogs Henderson County, North Carolina. A report to the Plant Conservation Program North Carolina Department of Agriculture.

Arachnids