The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1878-11-06
How a Spider Captured a Potato Bug.

A communication from Il. b. Tuller,
in the Scientific american, reads as
follows: I wish to place on record with
YOU an incident which came under my
observation; and which almost equals
the account of a spider raising snake
in its web, which you published some
time ago. I was sitting on my back
porch one day this summer, when I OBJ
served o potato bug slowly approach
ing along the floor. Anxious to annihi-
late as many as possible of these pests, I
kept my eye on him until he should
come in reach, when I could put my foot
on him. While watching in this way I
noticed C. pretty good.sized spider ap.
preaching the bug. At a little distance
he stopped to survey his contemplated
victim, and then, with mind seemingly
determined as to what course to pursue,
ron around on the opposite side OF the
bug, and with an apparent "nip" at
him turned the bug from his course, and
toward q corner where I noticed the
spider had web some four or more
inches from the floor. The bug had no
inclination to go in that direction, but
he was closely driven by the spider,
which ran first to one side and then the
other, exactly like shepherd dog driv-
ing q sheep; hurrying his victim up with
an occasional "nip" or bite at bis side.
All this was something new to me in the
habits and ways of tho spider, and I
watched with intense interest to see what
the result would be.
When the bug had been driven into
the corner at o point directly under the
web, the spider changed tactics, and
made series of circles rapidly around
the bug, first in one direction and then
in another, occasionally taking run up
into the web. While was unable to
see the delicate thread spun by the
spider, 1 saw that the bugs legs soon
became 80 entangled that be could not
make any headway, but could only
struggle around in a limited latitude,
and which became more and more limit
ed as the spider untiringly continued
his work. Being compelled to leave at
this moment, returned again in about
half an hour. I then found the bug
turned on his back and his feet ap-
parently quite firmly bound. He was
quite 1notionless, and I thought was
dead. but he soon showed signs of life
by vigorous kicking, which nearly re-
leased him.
The spider had been running up and
down at different points, but quickly
left that work, and sliding down to the
bug seemed to attack his throat, and in
such q manner that the bug gave few
spasmodic kicks and seemed to give up
the ghost. The spider then returned to
his work of attaching lines to the bug
and web. They we're soon 30 numerous
that could see them, besides the light
had become more favorable. The regu-
larity of the lines formed O sort of
funnel, diverging as they did from the
from the bug to the outer parts of the
web above.
After time the spider seemed to have
lines enough attached, and began the
new work of shortening each line, as it
He passed from line to line
many times over, stopping an instant at
each. I was again called away at this
iuncture, and did not see the curiosity
again until the next day. The bug was
then elevated over an inch above the
floor, and the third day he was safely
lodged in the center OF the web, some
five inches from the floor, and all the
tackle employed in hoisting completely
cleared away. In the web were the car
casses of two other potato bugs, which l
have no doubt were caught in like man.
ner, though they may have crawled up
the wall into the web. I cannot name
the variety Of the spider, but it is very
common one, rather good size taken
but small as compared with
the bug. The spider could not have
weighed one.eighth as much as the bug;
but his body was long and slender, with
long slender legs, very ordinary spe.
cies of house spider (of brown color) and
called q large spider on account of their
long legs.
This may be very common habit OF
the spider, running out and driving in
game to place where it can be secured
and hoisted, but I never heard OF the
like before.