benkurek__
Ben Kurek
Joined: Apr 01, 2017 Last Active: Jan 25, 2022 iNaturalist Australia
I am an amateur arachnologist and naturalist specialising in the Huntsmen of Australia. I have always had a particular fascination in arthropods and the natural world, particularly spiders. Insects are another group of interest other than spiders, my favourites being moths and currently trying to get a grasp for them. I am the spider specialist of the Entomological Society of Victoria, a non-profit scientific society. I have been identified by them as the ‘specialist’ in this field. I can provide spider ID’s and spider info. I am not an expert or a qualified arachnologist, simply an amateur. However, I do consider myself knowledgeable in spiders. I enjoy spending time with people who share my interest when attending EntSocVic meetups to set up moth sheets to record described and undescribed species of moths (Mothing as we like to call it, but moth trapping is the correct term), as well as heading into the bush to do macrophotography, which we do before we set up the sheets at night. I also am fascinated by a few vertebrate groups like birds and frogs, I like to record their calls to learn what they are. iNaturalist really motivates me to get out there and find something I haven't seen before, or maybe something that hasn't been photographed or perhaps something new to science. Have started collecting invertebrate specimens for people that require certain taxa for their research projects. If anyone who is currently researching anything at the moment needs any specimens, let me know. I have also started removing Vespula germanica (European Wasps) from the wild whenever I find them to help reduce their population and keep the native bees safe, I keep them in the freezer.
I currently do ID's for mainly the following taxa which I have grouped in this project: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/ben-s-ids
but have general knowledge in all Australian spiders so feel free to tag me if you require assistance.
I am currently working on an Australian huntsman field guide. If you have any macro shots of any Australian huntsmen, feel free to email them to me and I will give credit to you in the book. Don't mind the email, it was made when I was little because I was obsessed with the java computer program :D. I run two Huntsman pages, one on Facebook and another on Instagram. Photos are welcome to be sent to me to be uploaded on the Instagram page, but the photo must be your own, I will give credit to the original creator.
Based in Melbourne, Victoria.
Entomological Society of Victoria: https://entsocvic.org.au/
Australian Huntsmen links:
Huntsmen of New South Wales and the ACT:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6825&subview=map&taxon_id=47867&view=species
Huntsmen of the Northern Territory: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=9994&subview=map&taxon_id=47867&view=species
Huntsmen of Queensland:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=7308&subview=map&taxon_id=47867&view=species
Huntsmen of South Australia: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6899&subview=map&taxon_id=47867&view=species
Huntsmen of Tasmania:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6829&subview=map&taxon_id=47867&view=species
Huntsmen of Victoria: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=7830&subview=map&taxon_id=47867&view=species
Huntsmen of Western Australia:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=6827&subview=map&taxon_id=47867&view=species
Follow my Huntsmen pages
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/australian_huntsman_spiders/
