Operation Spider is a large-scale, community-based study of spiders in South Australia. We are collecting data about spider species, how people manage spiders, and participants’ attitudes towards spiders. The aims of Operation Spider are to: engage the public with local wildlife; increase awareness of the ecological roles and economic importance of spiders; collect data on spider distributions; collect data on people’s attitudes towards spiders; and to feed knowledge back to the community. South Australians can participate in a number of ways:

1. Community survey and questionnaire:
From September 1st until October 13th (2010), participants can send in information about spiders they have seen and their attitudes towards spiders via an online survey at: http://www.abc.net.au/adelaide/operation/

2. School projects:
A broad range of educational materials for primary and middle school classes, including an Interactive Teaching Sequence and support materials to make it easy and interesting for classes to be involved, are available at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/barbarahardy/research/spider.asp

3. Poetry competition:
The poetry competition is for eight-lined poems about spiders. Further details are available at: http://www.abc.net.au/adelaide/operation/

4. Join the facebook page:
The Operation Spider Facebook page is at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Operation-Spider/140054116022916?ref=sgm

5. Watch the YouTube video:
See Operation Spider on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIO3Mykg_6g

Operation Spider was preceded by Operation Bluetongue (2007), Operation Possum (2008), and Operation Magpie (2009). More information about these projects is available at: http://www.unisa.edu.au/barbarahardy/research/citizen-science.asp