Spiders of the Vršac Mountains were explored during our first Rufford Small Grant project for the first time ever. We made an initial list of species in the southern region of the Mountains using three different methods. Since the results were significant and interesting, we decided to continue our work and to gather more data by covering the northern region of the Mountains with new methods and more people. This way we will get a clearer image of what species occur there. During the first Rufford Small Grant project, spiders were introduced as potential bio indicators and our proposal of the monitoring plan based on spider fauna was very well accepted. The continuation of the project will bring even more information in a new approach in the nature protection at the Vršac Mountains.

We are planning to expand the inventory list of species in the selected area and determinate bio indicator species in order to develop a precise strategy for monitoring endangered habitats and to evolve a conservation plan. Our goal is to train and educate high school children and students in order to make a good team of arachnologists who could continue research and start their own projects. This is important because data about spiders in Serbia are very poor and there are not enough people prepared and trained to work on that problem. Popular books and guides about spiders for pre-school and primary school children don’t exist in our country. All they can learn about spiders is only from a few pages in schoolbooks. We want to change that and produce a first book on spiders in Serbian language for kids. Also, we plan to make workshops for them in order to raise their awareness of the spider’s importance for ecosystems.