Year: 1878

How Spider Captured a Potato Beetle.


l wish to place on record with you an :
incident which came under my obserVa-
ton, and which almost equals the ac-
count of a spider raising q snake in its
web, which you published some time
ago. | was sitting on my back porch
one day this summer, when / observed
a potato bug slowly approaching along
the floor. Anxious to annihilate as
many as possible of these pests, l kept
nv eye on him until he should come in
reach, when I could put my foot on him.
While watching in this way noticed a
pretty good sized spider approaching
the bug. At little distance he stopped
to survey his contemplated victim, and
then, with mind seemingly determined
as to what course to pursue, ran around
on the opposite side of the bug, and with
an apparent ''nip' at him turned the
bug from his course, and toward cor
ner where 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
a shepherd dog driving sheep, hurry
ing his victim up with an occasional
"nip" or bite at his side. All this was
something new to me in the habits and
ways of the spider, and I watched with
intense interest to. see what the result
would be. .z. .....,...


When the bug had been driven into
the corner at a point directly under the
web, the spider changed tactics, and
made a series of circles rapidly around I
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, saw that the bugs legs soon
became so entangled that he could not
make any headway, but could only
struggle around in limited latitude,
and which became more and more linn
tied as the spider untiringly continu- !
ed his work. Being compelled to leave.
at this moment, I returned again in
about half an hour. / then found the
bug turned on his back and his feet ap-:,
parently quite firmly bound. He was
quite motionless, and I thought was
dead, but he soon showed signs of
life by vigorous kicking, which nearly
released him.


The spider had been running up and Z
down at different points, but quickly,
left that work, and sliding down to the
bug seemed to attack his throat, and In
such manner that the bug gave a. few. \
spasmodic kicks and seemed to give up
the ghost. The spider then returned to
his work of attaching lines to the bug
and the web. They were soon so nu-
merous that l could see them, besides
the light had become more favorable.
The regularity of the lines formed a sort
of funnel, diverging as they did from
the bug to the outer parts of the web
above. - gaF5l


After time the spider seemed to have
lines enough attached, and began the
new work Of shortening each line, as it
appeared. He passed from line to line
many times over, stopping an instant at
each. / was again called away at this
juncture, 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 5
inches from the floor, and all the tackle
employed in hosting completely clear
ed away. In the web were the carcass
es of two other potato-bugs, which |
have no doubt were caught in like man
ner, though they may have erawled up
the wall into the web. | can not name
the variety of spider, but it is avery
common one, rather good size, taken al
together, but small as compared with
the bug. The spider could not have
weighed one-eighth as much as the
bug; his body was long and slender,
with long slender legs, a very ordinary
species Of house-spider (of brown color)


and called a 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 Sc


cured and hoisted, but never heard of


the like before.-R. B. Ihller, in Scien-


titc american.
.