Orb Spider (Nephila maculata) on my face video going viral!

Well, recently I did a video of my Wuelfing stick insect (juvenile) walking around on my head.  It got such a crazy response from my friends, I decided to up the ante.  Why not put my beautiful orb spider, Coraline, on my head and really freak people out?  (I blame my love for Stephen King for this love of making people’s skin crawl.) As many of you may not know, this spider, despite appearances, is actually a very docile creature.  They’re not aggressive and not ready biters, although they are venomous and fully capable of biting.  But, their venom is not considered medically significant, like say a Redback.

So, I posted this video to YouTube so I could share it with my friends on Facebook.  Then I posted it on Reddit.  Somewhere in there, it went viral…ish.  Right now it’s sitting at just under 73,000 views.   I’ve been interviewed by the local news station, local newspaper, the story has been run on everything from The Daily Mail to MTV.com.  I’m not sure how these phenomenons happen, but it’s pretty crazy that it’s my silly mug on the viral video of the minute.

So, here’s a look at the video that’s causing such a stir.  ***Remember, these spiders are venomous and should not be handled by anyone not experienced with insect and spider handling.***

Quiz answers and bug nerd shout outs

So what were your answers?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8,

The answers are as follows:

1. F, 2. H, 3. B, 4. G, 5. A, 6. E, 7. C, 8. D

1. Bird-dropping (Death’s head) spider

2. Ladybug (beetle) larvae

3. Rhinoceros beetle larvae

4. Mountain katydid

5. Pollen and nectar feeding katydid

6. Whip spider

7. Early instar of an owfly

8. Giant huntsman on my face

Okay, so maybe you were only able to get #8…I did put it in there for a freebie.  (And in case you think I’m completely crazy, you should know that the huntsman was dead…so I’m only half crazy.)

And don’t feel bad, I did not know 1-7 myself before researching them.  But that’s the fun, isn’t it?

We had a couple of people guess all of them correctly, so a special WE shout out to Marc at entomacrographic and to Drhoz.

**Be sure to click on the above links (1-8) to find out more about the featured creatures.**

(All photos property of Lisa Vankula-Donovan unless otherwise stated.)

Strange Insects — Quiz

Every once in a while, I’ve come across something that just baffles me. (I mean besides why they don’t put more jam in jam doughnuts.) But, without having a background in anything related to entomology, it’s sometimes a challenge to figure out what it is.  See, those experienced in the field can look at a number of things to at least narrow it down to an order.  I’m getting better at it but, as you’ll see, some are just plain confusing.  (But, if you’re a follower of the blog, these might not be that hard 😉 )

Can you guess what is what?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

Now, match these letters up to the picture you think belongs with it.

A. Pollen and nectar feeding katydid

B. Rhinoceros beetle larvae

C. Early instar of an owl fly

D. Giant huntsman on my face

E. Whip spider

F. Bird-dropping (Death’s head) spider

G. Mountain Katydid

H. Lady bug (beetle) larvae

Post your answers in the comments below or on Facebook.  Answers will be revealed in tomorrow’s post.  I will announce the person(s) that got the most correct.

*All photos property of Lisa Vankula-Donovan unless otherwise stated.**

Is there something on my face?