Meeting 1148 Minutes

Minutes from the 1148th Meeting of the Cambridge Entomological Club

President Patrick Gorring called the 1148th meeting of the Cambridge Entomological Club to order at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013 in MCZ 101, 26 Oxford St. Approximately 20 members and guests were in attendance.

New business: Member Scott Smyers mentioned a Boy Scout troop looking for helping awarding an Insect badge, and a new book Butterfly People featuring first CEC president Samuel Scudder. Its author, William Leach, is a potential speaker for a future meeting.

Our speaker was local naturalist and author Dick Walton who presented a talk entitled Two Centuries of Jumping Spider (Araneae: Salticidae) Studies in Massachusetts.

Worldwide the salticids comprise the largest spider family with approximately 300 species represented in North America north of Mexico. Superior eyesight, an active lifestyle, diversity of forms, colors and behaviors are all hallmarks of this group.

Dick Walton presented a brief history of salticid studies in MA as well as an overview of jumping spiders present in MA today. Early figures in spider studies include the MCZ’s own Herbert Levi, his students Wayne Maddison and Norm Platnick, and J. H. Emerton, well known in the 19th century for his popular books on spiders and other invertebrates.

Dick presented several videos, starting with the spectacular Peacock spider of Australia and followed by a few of his own local favorites illustrating the elaborate courting behavior of the jumping spiders.

The meeting was adjourned at 9:05 for discussion and refreshments.

Respectfully submitted,
Andrea Golden, CEC Secretary