Stim Wilcox is Associate Professor of Biological Sciences at Binghamton University of SUNY. His primary interest lies in the behavioral ecology and communication of animals particularly mating strategies, territorality, aggressive mimicry, communication, and alternative strategies and tactics.
He also studies predator-prey interactions that are mediated by underwater, low-frequency pressure waves and works mainly with water striders, jumping spiders and fish, and work both in the field and the laboratory.
In 1987, Dr. Wilcox teamed up with Robert Jackson of the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and began studying jumping spiders of the genus Portia, which are aggressive mimics. These amazing spiders show a wide range of instinctive ploys to capture other spiders in their webs, as well as learning abilities, the ability to solve problems, and even to think a little, including maintaining cognitive maps for over an hour, during such predatory ploys as detouring behavior when stalking prey spiders.
Dr. Wilcox has been featured on PBS American Scientific Frontiers and in BBC films.
Lecture:
Living In Alien Worlds
April 2012