Africa Wild

As I struggle to identify my insects, and I see there are more questions than answers, I ask myself WHY are we even attempting to create a database when the "experts" don't even have the answers?

For example, I have a number of Jumping Spiders from Kruger which I can't identify by ANY books, on-line identification guides, etc etc ad nauseum. The only entry for them in AW's spider book is at the Family level, so do I add all mine as Salticidae species? Is that really helpful?

Why bother is the question I keep asking myself. Just to show my photos? I can do that in Macro Photography, or Creepy Crawlies...

I need an objective view as to why we are creating "books/guides" when they are so obviously extraordinately limited?

Sorry, in advance, for being so exasperated

APRIL 2020 UPDATE: I have changed the topic title so we may use this thread for jumping spider identifications and comments on same. Thanks.

My suggestion: you "publish" a new book of unidentified jumping spiders

Even in guidebooks and other sources you won't find many flies and spiders with an ID on species level

Post them just to the book, I'd say (as jumping spider only)

BTW: Here are all SA species listed with distributions, but the distributions there are probably not complete
http://www.arc.agric.za/arc-ppri/Docume ... SPISIC.pdf

here to look up abdominal patterns with drawings etc
http://www.jumping-spiders.com/

@ ExFmem!

Your frustrations are exactly the reason that the info books are being created, one day your jumping spiders might have been identified and the information will be in the AW Info Books!

Publish the pictures under the family or put them on the ID thread. Maybe someone will ID them eventually!

I think that Toko deserves a medal for the work she's done on this impossible task!

BluTuna wrote:@ ExFmem!

Your frustrations are exactly the reason that the info books are being created, one day your jumping spiders might have been identified and the information will be in the AW Info Books!

Publish the pictures under the family or put them on the ID thread. Maybe someone will ID them eventually!

I think that Toko deserves a medal for the work she's done on this impossible task!

So do I! And ExF for continuing despite her frustration and BluTuna and others who are following the odd topics (and posting pics) even if they do not have the answers nor have they ever seen any of these creepy crawlies.
VIVA the human curiosity which leads to great discoveries and less frustrations for ExF

NEVER GIVE UP!!!

@BluTuna ("I think that Toko deserves a medal for the work she's done on this impossible task!")

Hear! Hear! I'll drink to that!

@Lisbeth ("NEVER GIVE UP!!!")

Thanks, I probably just needed a peptalk, so thanks for supplying it. Will give me a second wind to continue on.

When I spend HOURS on something and come away completely empty handed, I start to question if I'm wasting valuable time. Okay, it's a new day now, so I have a fresh 24 hours to waste - onward and upward!

Medal for Toko

Our books are a great team effort and we deserve indeed some medals - ALL OF US

for all who contribute: IDs, photos, interesting thoughts and high spirits

I can only contribute with company for a

Lis, very good to have you around here