This is the Arthropod Project- a sort of informal photojournalism project which I have taken on to document the different arthropods with which I come in contact with, in every day life or personal expiditions. This may include the animals which I keep in my personal collection; please take note of the tag 'collection' which denotes that the animal is in my care as a hobbyist.

In November of 2006, I purchased my first arthropod- a Pandinus cavimanus (a scorpion, which is an arachnid, related to spiders)- which I named Sahveen. Scorpions had never bothered me, but every other insect and arachnid did. What I did not realize was the addiction I was getting myself into- by the time I had first held Sahveen (in a cloth covered hand, heart racing), I had begun the descent into wanting, needing a tarantula- a need to be satiated with three babies, all of different species- in the Summer of 07. This had been set in stone the day I held a Grammostola rosea (Chilean Rose Hair) just two months after beginning the fight to rid myself of the spider-based arachnophobia I had suffered all my life. I immediately fell in love with the tiny footsteps that fell on my hand, and the amazing creature which I had decided to hold.

From there the love branched to beetles, and mantids, and millipedes, and centipedes... even to cockroaches. There are few arthropods which I don't love (hornets and crickets belong on that short list), even enjoying the crustaceans that most enjoy as a meal.

Although I do keep other animals (A bird, a betta, and a dog, though neither belong in this project), and plan on enjoying the company of a colubrid snake or ten, my first passion is those animals which lie in the phylum Arthropoda. I do hope, to someday further myself from hobbyist to serious researcher, so that we may learn more about these amazing animals.

If you have any questions about the animals I photograph, or questions concerning the husbandry of the animals (I share with you all I know, and direct you to places where you can learn more)... or even just want to talk about bugs, feel free to drop me an instant message, just make sure to mention you came from my flickr page!

I also invite you to join me and other Arachnid enthusiasts at the pages of the American Tarantula Society forums, at atshq.org/forum/ where there's always some great intellegent discussion to be had!