Just by taking photos and observing spiders, citizen scientists can help the Explorit Science Center in Davis, Calif., learn about which climates certain spiders live in and track the distribution of spiders over time. Use your camera or smart phone to take a photo of the spider and submit it online.

Spiders have long been thought of as a useful natural method of pest control, but how will expected temperature changes or other environmental changes affect the spider’s usefulness as pest-killers and their distribution? We don't yet know how climate change will impact spiders, and in turn impact agriculture such as crops and farms. When we understand where spiders are living today, we will be better able to predict what may happen to spiders and agriculture in the future.