In an article released online by The Philippine Entomologist (Vol 31, No. 1), UPLB MNH curators Dr. Aimee Lynn A. Barrion-Dupo and Dr. Alberto T. Barrion discover three new species of Deinopidae and the record of its type genus Deinopis Macleay, 1839 in the Philippines.

Ogre-faced spiders (Deinopidae) is a small family of spiders which specialize in casting an expandable silk mesh to catch small insects. According to the authors, these spiders have distinctly large front eyes resembling those of ogres that give them a monster-like appearance. They are also called "net-casting spiders" because of their behavior in capturing prey.

A lack of online presence can severely limit a person’s visibility in today's technology and information-driven world. This is very true especially for scientists, researchers and even young professionals who are trying to earn their place in the academe.

"Using social media and networks to improve your online visibility and at the same time highlight the things you are working on may not be enough for you to get noticed," said Florante A. Cruz, a development communication practitioner from the UPLB Museum of Natural History replied when asked on why the Museum decided to hold a training recently on e-portfolio building for several graduate students.

Museum researchers led by Director Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez and extension specialist Florante A. Cruz again provided technical assistance to the local government unit of Sta. Teresita, Cagayan by surveying the biodiversity of areas targeted by the town for development as ecotourism spots. The museum team is composed of people with expertise in birds, bats, insects and other wildlife, geology and development communication.

The team were in Sta. Teresita town from 27-29 February and visited Bangalau Lake, Tabaco, Bangalau, Ari-Zero and Maquera Caves located in three barangays. Sta. Teresita is dominated by karst landscapes and is home to at least 60 caves, waters of which drain to the lake where bakong (Hanguana malayana), an aquatic plant the town has tapped for their fiber-based cottage industries excellently thrives. Sta. Teresita is also a migratory stop for quite a number of birds which start to arrive every month of September.

The UPLB Museum of Natural History is getting ready to extend its help to the Los Banos Science Community (LBSC) as the science group goes all out to pioneer and promote the niche concept of science tourism.

Michelle D. Alejado, the museum's coordinator for linkages attended the first meeting of the LBSCFI Tourism Committee last 20 February 2018 held at the DOST-CALABARZON headquarters along with other representatives of LBSCFI member-agencies. Present during the committee meeting were representatives of member agencies such as UPLB, UPOU, LSPU–Los Baños Campus, DENR-ERDB, PCC-UPLB, DOST-PCAARRD, LGU-Los Banos, DOST-CALABARZON and IRRI.

The Refresher Course on the Use of Molecular Phylogenetics in Systematics and Biogeography held by the UPLB Museum of Natural History for twenty partipants from the College of Agriculture and Food Science, College of Arts and Sciences, College of Forestry and Natural Resources, and UPLB Graduate School was concluded last 19 February 2018 at the MNH Conference Room.

Eight participants received certificates of completion by attending the four course sessions which were held in four separate dates from January to February 2018 while the rest received certificates of participation.

To further engage and network with other museums in the region, the UPLB Museum of Natural History has joined the meeting of the Southern Luzon Association of Museums (SLAM) recently held this 20 February 2018 at the DL Umali Auditorium.

Dr. Juan Carlos T. Gonzalez, along with around 30 other museum professionals and representatives from all across Southern Luzon were able to get and share updates on activities of the member museums, the projects of the NCCA-National Committee on Museums, the discussions of the Regional Development Council Committee on Culture, and the association's plans for holding the 2018 Regional Museums Summit this coming October in Batangas City.