Spiders of the Southern Appalachians
4 Credit Hours
July 20–31, 2026
Instructors: Dr. Sarah Stellwagen, UNC–Charlotte & Dr. Alex Sweger, Hartwick College
Cost: $1,000.00
This course offers an immersive introduction to spider systematics, morphology, behavior, physiology, and ecology. Each day begins with morning and/or evening lectures and discussions that build a comprehensive foundation in arachnology.
Afternoons are dedicated to fieldwork across the Southern Appalachians, with the goal of assembling a substantial collection of the region’s remarkably diverse spider fauna while observing ecological interactions and behavioral patterns. Students typically encounter 28–30 spider families during the course.
Evenings provide focused time in the lab for species identification and collection work, and students are expected to devote sufficient time to developing their taxonomic skills. The course also incorporates spider videos, informal discussions, and opportunities to explore a variety of topics in spider biology and evolution.
Lecture and discussion sessions will cover:
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An introduction to spiders, including family-level diversity and collecting techniques
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External morphology and characters used in identification
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Spider systematics, phylogeny, paleontology, and the history of spider taxonomy
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Behavior, ecology, and biodiversity
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Internal morphology and physiology, including digestion, toxins, pheromones, and silk chemistry and production
Designed for students, researchers, and naturalists alike, this course provides a deep and hands-on understanding of one of the most ecologically significant—and often overlooked—groups in the Southern Appalachians.
Meet the Instructors
Dr. Sarah Stellwagen is an Assistant Professor at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte where her lab investigates spider and insect silks. Dr. Stellwagen minored in Entomology at Clemson University during her bachelor’s degree, which propelled her into arthropod science. After a master’s degree, also at Clemson investigating spider ecology, Dr. Stellwagen studied silk biomechanics at Virginia Tech for her doctorate. She became interested in silk genetics during a postdoc at the Army Research Lab, where she learned long read sequencing techniques. In 2023, Dr. Stellwagen joined the Biology Department at UNC Charlotte where she uses biomaterial testing and genetic techniques to answer questions about the evolution of arthropod silk properties.
stellwagen@charlotte.edu