The American Arachnological Society will bring more than 160 researchers from six countries to the University of Nebraska–Lincoln July 12–16 for its annual meeting, offering opportunities for scientific collaboration alongside a special public event celebrating the world of spiders and their relatives.
The meeting will begin Sunday, July 12, with Eight-Legged Encounters, an interactive science festival hosted from noon to 3:30 p.m. at Morrill Hall, University of Nebraska State Museum. Developed by the Hebets Laboratory at Nebraska, the event invites families and visitors of all ages to explore arachnid biology through hands-on activities, games, artwork and creative challenges led by professional arachnologists from across the United States and around the world.
All are encouraged to attend Eight-Legged Encounters. It is open to the public and requires regular Morrill Hall admission.
Visitors can test their skills by catching a "moth" with a bolas spider's silken lasso, detect prey vibrations like a trapdoor spider, build tissue paper flowers for crab spiders, sculpt clay arachnids and complete the "Path of Predators" activity trail to earn stamps, collectible trading cards and a prize while discovering the remarkable diversity of arachnids.
“This is a really unique opportunity for Lincoln—an informal science festival event run by arachnologists from around the country and world,” Eileen Hebets, the event host and organizer, said. She is a professor in the School of Biological Sciences who specializes in arachnids.
The annual meeting of the American Arachnological Society will feature approximately 60 scientific presentations, more than 40 research posters and participants representing more than six countries. Additional activities include an international soccer match celebrating the FIFA World Cup, an evening at Spring Creek Prairie Audubon Center and a post-conference BioBlitz at Reller Prairie.
The conference will officially open with a keynote lecture by Alfredo Peretti of the Institute of Animal Diversity and Ecology (IDEA), CONICET-UNC, Argentina. His presentation, "Rarity in Reproductive Biology: Arachnids as Insight," is open to the public and is the only conference session available to non-registered attendees.
The keynote speaker is visiting Nebraska through a Visiting Scholar Grant from the University's Office of Research and Innovation.
Eight-Legged Encounters has previously appeared at venues including the USA Science & Engineering Festival, the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and the Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.
Additional information about the 2026 American Arachnological Society meeting is available on the organization’s website. A video about Eight-Legged Encounters is online.
