Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-10-16
LIFE IN AN AIR CASTLE.
Peculiarities of An Interesting little In.
sect's Life and Habits.

Peculiarities of An Interesting Little In
sect's Life and Habits.
While we are drowsily watching the
white clouds and our thoughts are far
away, they are suddenly recalled to
earth by great spider coming briskly
down from the branches overhead, with
every appearance of energy and con-
tempt for the idle dreamers whose med
itations she has interrupted. She, too,
is building castle in the air; but that
occupation, in her case, means real
work. Madam Spider takes no summer
vacation. While the soft blue haze
rests over the mountains and the very
breezes seem to have sunk to slumber,
she must toll fer living, patiently
weaving, back and forth and round and
round, until she has fashioned one of
those delicate wheels that are so ex-
'quisite in appearance and which have
proved fatal to so many fly.
This intruder upon our quiet is large
and handsome, with black and yell
low suit that fairly glistens in the sun
shine as she runs up and down her slen-
der lines. The fine silken material of
which she constructs her web is all
formed within her body. and drawn out
through the many little tubes which
form her spinneret. As the invisibly
fine fbers come forth they are rolled
into the thread we see, and the fabric
grows like magic beneath her skillful
touch. Notice the long spokes radiat-
ing from the center of the wheel to the
foundation lines already laid down.
These she draws out and secures at
proper intervals, one by one, with
delicate precision; and, when all have
been placed, returns to the center, and
begins to go round and round. drawing
sticky thread after her, and fastening
it to each spoke as she comes
to it. When the wheel has taken
perfect shape, she prepares
resting-place for herself, by giving out
little fluffy silk and laying it in zig
gag path just below the center; and,
there establishing herself, awaits the
result of her labors, which will pres
emily come in the form of fly or other
winged insect
We may we'll wonder at the spiders
skill in constructing real air castle
like this. 1t is more than any of us can
do; but it is not the only secret she
knows. She has another bit of knowl-
edge that would be of more use to us
than web-spinning, if she would only
teach it to US; but no one has ever
found out how the spider knows when it
is going to rain. That she does know
it is evident. She does not watch the
clouds, or consult the barometer. or
&Aa Ill !; L
gins her web, yet she never gets caught
in shower; and you may be sure, when
you see her at work, that she is not
running the serious risk of having
it all destroyed by the beat
ing of raindrops. She is too
prudent for that, for not only would it
2 be great loss of time and labor, but
her supply of silk might become ex-
\ austed, and she would need food be-
tore she could form any more. Then, il
she had no means for setting a trap,
where would the necessary meal come
from? The spider win not get into
predicament like that if she can help it,
and, therefore, never spins web when
there is any danger of shower.
But the spiders wisdom does not end
here. She knows how to build very
different air castle, and it may be that
we can find such a one suspended among
the bushes. 1t looks like a fairy bal
loon, about an inch in length, hanging
upside down, and is formed of strong,
closely-woven, reddish silk, that the
rain can not penetrate, for it is not built
for a day, like the wheel-shaped
webs, and must be made different
ly. The spider has expended her
utmost care upon this curious structure,
and it no easy natter to tear it open. 1t
contains her ek 3, all fastened together
in little pinA ball, the whole mass
being about the sl4o of pea, and she
has gone away, probably to die, know
ing that her little ones will be safe in
the strong castle she has built for them.
Are there any more air castles near
us? There is one among the bushes,
which, though not quite so shapely and
graceful as that of our black and yellow
friend, has an improvement in shape of
a special apartment for its owner. She
Is timid brown creature, and, though
SO much less conspicuous than her
neighbor does not dare display even
her modest colors in the middle of the
web; so she has constructed closely
woven tunnel among the leaves and
berries, and sits in this pretty bower
without fear. Her mate fingers near.
He is even more timid than she, and
stands in some fear Of his energetic