Dee At 8 A.M.

Wednesday, November 11, 2026

November 11, 2026

We are known as Joro Spiders

We are native to Asia, including Japan

We can also be found in the US south east

Where we're exotic invasives, but we still have our fans.

(As described in the second linked article below, "It is originally from east Asian countries including Japan, Korea, and China, and even received its common name from a Japanese entity known as the jorogumo, a shapeshifting spider spirit.")

Thanks to our very special guest photographer, Karen Jordan.

Location: Mt. Haguro, and Shimonoseki, Japan

Sources: https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/the-joro-spider/

https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/big-yellow-spiders-in-south-carolina/

If you are reading and enjoying this blog, please consider supporting me on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/deeat8am, or purchase my current book, The Rhyming Guide to Florida Spiders (details at https://deeateightam.blogspot.com/p/rhyming-guide-to-florida-spiders-now.html). Thank you for being a reader and friend of Dee at 8 A.M.

Tuesday, November 10, 2026

November 10, 2026

Without bands, to you, I'm just a Florida Scrub Jay

But potential mates see me this way:

I am not related

My lil' bro's not predated

And we're only separated by a few years in age.

Research done at the Archbold Biological Station shows that that some of the methods Scrub Jays use to choose a mate include proximity to their own territory, how long they have they have served as a helper bird to their own family, the age of the other bird, and they do not choose mates at family reunions.

Location: Photo taken earlier this year at the St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park.

Sources: Lecture by Sahas Barve regarding how Florida Scrub Jays choose their mates. If you want to learn very cool stuff like this, come see Sahas at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in January!

Monday, November 9, 2026

November 9, 2026

This sand live oak shows evidence

That a scrub jay has had a snack

He took the bottom of the acorn

And left its little acorny hat.

Location: Archbold Biological Research Station, Lake Placid, FL

Sources: Observation by Sahas Barve on a tour of the Archbold property. If you want to learn more very cool stuff like this, come see Sahas at the Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in January!