📜 EwA Week Highlights: Is That Spider Dead, or Just Photogenic?

[Mike McGlathery]

EwA Highlights March 8, 2025 Hello everyone,  Thanks for reading the March 8th EwA highlights. 📸 Laura K. spotted this pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) in Woburn this week. While this species is not threatened throughout its broader range, it is considered endangered in New England, with habitat loss the most likely cause. Indeed, the distribution map from the Massachusetts Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program fact sheet on this species doesn’t include Woburn or any adjacent towns. That fact sheet is from 2015, so perhaps this is a sign that the bird’s distribution has rebounded slightly in Massachusetts in the past decade. EwA iNaturalist Record (© Lakiesel · Woburn, MA · Mar. 3, 2025)  Simon captured this stunning photo of a ground crab spider (Genus Xysticus) this week. I’m curious about the story behind the photo - its framing is so perfect that it makes me think the spider was found dead. Then again, crab spiders are ambush predators who often lie very still in wait for their prey, so I guess it’s not out of the question that this one simply stayed put long enough for this photo to be taken.  EwA iNaturalist Record (© Simon Gurvets · Woburn, MA · Mar. 1, 2025)  EwA’s repeated its most observed species this week: the winter firefly (Ellychnia corrusca). It’s not surprising that we’re seeing so many observations of these beetles as the weather gets warmer. This period of moderate activity that can be seen on colony trees is some of the most visible arthropod activity in late winter, and precedes the mating season for winter fireflies which arrives around April. EwA iNaturalist Record (© Joe MacIndewar · Stoneham, MA · Mar. 1, 2024)  📊 Thanks to everyone for your great biodiversity records this week, totaling 285 observations of 170 distinct species. If you’re curious about the records from this week that have been validated by the iNat community so far, you can find them » here. 🏆 Running tally: To date, we have recorded 225,484 observations of 12,325 distinct species! Check out our EwA umbrella project, see the details per site/observer, and more » here. 📅 EwA Upcoming Public Events Ewa Field Events » Check the EwA Winter [ Event details and registration » ] Don’t miss some great opportunities to follow the rhythm of the season in our local habitats and in the local wildlife! Space is limited for all our field events. Wildlife ethics is important to us and we seek to avoid putting the pressure on natural habitats which large gatherings unavoidably do. We are asking our audience to register-and-commit (or cancel when you know you can’t come) to avoid no-shows. EwA Fieldwork (and Resources) It’s a great time to join our monitoring programs. Check EwA’s Volunteer Program Calendar 📅  to know when things happen. And if a session is of interest to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to get the rendezvous location. 📅 EwA Sites Map | 🌱 Site Protocols and Guides · Field Rosters · Field Notes » All here! | ℹ️ More about EwA’s Citizen Science Program » Here ❓ Do you have any questions? Don’t be shy. Just email me or reply to this thread.  That’s all for this week—hope you have a good one! -Mike