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.

2. School projects: A broad range of educational materials are available 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.

3. Poetry competition: The poetry competition is for eight-lined poems about spiders.

4. Join the Operation Spider Facebook page.

5. Watch Operation Spider on YouTube.

Operation Spider was preceded by Operation Bluetongue (2007), Operation Possum (2008), and Operation Magpie (2009).