October 03rd, 2026

🕷️ Get Your Spider On: The NC Spider Search Is Here!

​October means one thing in North Carolina: it's officially spider season, and we're inviting you to get a little spooky with science.
The 2026 NC Spider Search runs October 3 through 11. The mission is simple: find and photograph seven spiders anywhere in the state. Your backyard counts. So does the neighborhood park, the schoolyard, or that web you've been walking through every morning on the porch.
You don't need to know a single spider name going in. Snap your photos, upload them to iNaturalist (app or website), and let the app handle identification while your sighting becomes part of a statewide scientific record. All observations are due by October 31.
Along the way you might meet a Rabid Wolf Spider (not rabid, not a wolf, just dramatically named), a Spiny backed Orb weaver, or a Funnel Weaver. North Carolina spiders clearly did not come to play.

How to join in:

1. Pick a spot to explore
2. Look closely at vegetation, fences, rocks, and webs
3. Photograph what you find
4. Upload to iNaturalist for ID help
5. Collect seven spiders between Oct 3 and 11
6. Submit by Oct 31
7. Claim your embroidered badge or sticker here🏅

The NC Spider Search is part of Science Across NC, a statewide push to get people exploring and documenting the species living right outside their door. Every observation helps build a clearer picture of NC's wildlife, one eight-legged discovery at a time.
So that's the mission: find seven spiders, get the badge, become a certified spider spotter.
The spiders are out there. Go find them. 🕷️🔎
For more information and lots more resources for NC Spider Search 2026, go to the Science Across NC event page.