On a cold winter’s afternoon, nearly 20 Field Naturalists attended an outing with a difference – an indoor guided walk at CMAG, where art met science. The backdrop to this outing was the stunning photographic exhibition, “Spiders of Paradise”, by Maria Fernanda. Those lucky enough to attend the event were taken on a journey of discovery by Stuart Harris, a leading authority on these tiny Peacock Spiders (Maratus).
After gathering at the on-site cafe for a cuppa, Stuart led us to the theatrette, where he presented an introduction to Peacock Spiders that gave context for what was to follow. He showed his original photos taken in the field, and pages from his journal when a new species was discovered, where he demonstrated the importance of citizen science.
We then wandered through the exhibition, and were given incredibly detailed information about the spiders on display, ranging from their discovery and known distribution to morphology and ecology.
Thank you Stuart for such a treat.
