Order Scorpionida (scorpions)
364. STRIPED CENTRUROIDES, Centruoides vittatus (Say). Scorpions should be collected with caution because of the potential for a sting. A long pair of forceps is helpful in catching and holding them. They are best preserved in alcohol.
Order Uropygi (Thelyphonida)
365. “VINEGAROONS OR WHIPSCORPIONS”, Mastigoproctus giganteus (Lucas). Vinegaroons can be preserved in alcohol or pinned.
Order Araneae (spiders)
366. TARANTULAS, Aphonopelma spp. Tarantulas can be found after dark by using a flashlight or even by driving slowly along country roads using headlights. Tarantulas are often kept as pets. They calm quickly in captivity and may become accustomed to handling. They can be directed into a cup to move them. Some handlers put their hand into the container and let the spider crawl onto it. Experienced handlers pick tarantulas by the sides of the carapace. Some tarantulas move so fast that handling is difficult. They may be fed wild foods that are collected or commercially available live foods such as mealworms, crickets and even baby mice. They also need a supply of water that they can place their mouth into so a shallow dish of water should be provided. A number of species in this family are now imported in the pet trade and books on care and maintenance are available. The large size of these spiders demands larger collection and storage equipment than most spider collectors utilize. Specimens should be preserved in alcohol.
367. BROWN RECLUSE, Loxoscelus reclusa Gertsch & Mulaik. Recluse spiders can be very common in some situations. However, they can not reliably be collected. They are most likely found under loose bark.
368. SOUTHERN BLACK WIDOW, Latrodectus mactans (Fabricius).
Order Acari (ticks, mites)
370. LONE STAR TICK, Amblyoma americanum (Linnaeus). Attached ticks can be collected from a host by grasping them by the base of the mouthparts with forceps and gently pulling them off in a manner to avoid squeezing the body. Free-living stages can be collected by walking through tick-infested brushy areas, removing them from clothing or a flannel cloth drag and placing them in alcohol. Ticks are also attracted to carbon dioxide and will seek this gas from dry ice placed in a tick-infested brushy area.
371. TWOSPOTTED SPIDER MITE, Tetranynchus urticae Koch. Mites can be removed from host plants with a fine brush or by dipping infested plant parts into alcohol in which they can be preserved and stored.
TOMATO RUSSET MITE, Aculops lycopersici (Massee). These mites can be collected by dipping parts of infested plants into alcohol.
CHIGGERS, Trombioula (Eutrombicula) alfreddugesi (Oudemans) and T. Splendens Ewing. The parasitic larval stages attached to the skin can be seen with the aid of a good hand lens, and can be removed with a fine pin. Velvety red adults can be found in leaf litter, under stumps. They can be collected with a small paint brush and preserved in alcohol. Free-living forms can also be extracted from leaf litter using a Berlese funnel.
STRAW ITCH MITE, Pyemotes tritici (La Greze-Fossat & Montane). These mites, cultured on caterpillar-infested wheat seeds, can be purchased commercially for application to fire ant mounds. They can be collected and preserved in alcohol or mounted on microscope slides.
BROAD MITES, Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks). Infested plant parts can be dipped or preserved in alcohol.
372. HOUSE DUST MITE, Dermatophagoides spp. Collect dust and examine it under a high-powered microscope. Mites can be killed and preserved in alcohol and mounted on a microscope slide.
Pseudoscorpions
375. PSEUDOSCORPIONS, several species. Look for pseudoscorpions in leaf litter and under bark. They can be collected using a Berlese funnel to allow them to crawl out of leaf litter or logs. They should be killed and preserved in alcohol.
Solifugae
376. WINDSCORPIONS, Eremobates and other genera. Windscorpions can be found during the day by turning over rocks. At night they may be attracted to lanterns placed on the ground as they search for prey. They can be killed and preserved in alcohol.
Isopoda
377, 378. SOWBUGS AND PILLBUGS, many species. Sowbugs and pillbugs can be collected from underneath objects on the ground, particularly in areas with a lot of decaying plant materials. They can be killed and preserved in alcohol.
Diplopoda and Chilopoda
379-381. MILLIPEDES AND CENTIPEDES, many species. Centipedes and millipedes can be collected from underneath stones and other ground debris during the day. They should be placed directly in percent alcohol to kill and preserve them.
NON-ARTHROPODS
SNAILS AND SLUGS, many species (Gastropoda). Snails and slugs can be collected from their hiding places during the day or from infested plants by hand, killed and preserved in alcohol. They can also be collected in traps made from cups buried in the ground up to the lip, filled with stale beer and covered with a shingle or other object similar to a pit fall trap.