Evening star., 1949-12-13
This and That
By Charles E. TrateweN
ARLINGTON.

where can learn about spiders?
II have been trying to find out something
about them, but SO far have been unsuccess-
full
IF you can tell me anything about spid-
ers, I would enjoy reading it, as they interest
me a great deal
Perhaps you can tell me why am inter-
ested in spiders. They are the first insects
I have taken much of an interest in.
II would like to know where can read
about them. Some of my friends say am
crazy, but Is one necessarily so. about
spiders? yours very truly. M. A. H."
Two new books ought to give our corre-
spondent many hours of good reading.
They are American Spiders" and webs
in the Wind"
Both are handsome interesting produc-
tions. Since books make the best Christmas
gifts-or at least many persons think So
these volumes should prove valuable solu-
tion, in case one has friend interested in
these odd creatures.
The 25-cent pocket Webster says:
"Spider-A wingless insect-like animal
with eight legs and body divided into
two parts"
Scientists do not class spiders with insects.
although they are close relations and resem-
BILE them in many ways.
Insects have three pairs of legs; spiders
have four.
Insects have their bodies divided into three
divisions, the spiders into two.
Above all. spiders never have wings.
Most of them have eight eyes.
They eat insects. usually freshly killed.
Spiders eat crosswise, instead of up and
down. as we do. Their jaws move sideways.
They have two jaws, with fangs. The jaws
could grab and hold, but the creatures prefer
to use the fangs, which can send forth
tiny drop of poison.
This poison is potent-it kills within a
few seconds, If the spider bites its prey in
the neck. If elsewhere. the prey soon Is
paralyzed.
Spiders are mainly famous as spinners.
Each spider has three pairs of spinnerets,
as they are called, at the tip of the abdo-
men.
It is the spinnerets which produce the
webs, nests and cocoons. also the long
lines on which some species float over the
garden, or even for miles in search Of prey
and new homes.
There is gland inside the spider and
1t is there the silk is produced to be handled
and worked by the spinnerets
Here we are right in the middle OF one
of the great mysteries of nature: How and
if you please, the art of spinning?
There is no answer. Since the dawn OF
recorded history, and long before. spiders
have been spinning webs. AS long as there
are spiders, they will spin. Spinning is in
their blood, just as making paper is in the
blood of some wasps.
Scientists tell us there are seven different
kinds of silk produced by spiders.
No one spider produces all seven kinds,
but some go as high as five kinds.
The finger-like spinnerets usually. place a
drag-line wherever the spider goes This
drag-line saves the creature from falling;
if blown from leaf, the spider can get
back again by way Of his line
Making Of the orb webs so familier to all
of us is fascinating process, with the crea-
ton of certain lines, then the placing of the
spokes. Some spiders make 81 radii to each
web, others vary the number. The symmetri-
cal pattern fascinates the human beholder
today as it fascinated the first observing men
of countless centuries ago. Guy lines are put
in, then permanent lines eased into position,
always with the pattern in mind. Some lines
are dry, others are more elastic and coated
with sticky fluid. Each line and each part
of the web demands a complete know how"
which the spider possesses. House spiders
construct snares, grass spiders make sheets
of silk into which unwary insects fall. Wolf
spiders, jumping spiders, tarantulas, trap
door spiders. triangle web spiders. bowl and
dolly spiders-these are few of the common
names of some Of those fascinating creatures.
There are $500 species In North America.