The Ohio Journal of Science 



Vol. XX MAY, 1920 No. 7 



QUANTITATIVE STUDIES IN THE FOOD OF SPIDERS.*t 



S. W. BiLSING. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



Due to the scarcity of records on the feeding habits of 

 spiders, at the suggestion of Professor Osborn, the author made 

 a detailed study of the food habits of the spiders most abundant 

 near Columbus and Crestline, Ohio. These observations covered 

 a period of about six months and were commenced in June, 

 1913, at Columbus, and were continued during the months of 

 June, July, August, September, near Crestline. Later observa- 

 tions were made in October and November near Columbus. 



DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT. 



Associated with the presence of silk glands we find that 

 spiders as a group surpass all the other orders of Arachnida 

 with the possible exception of mites and ticks in diversity of 

 form and size, in number of genera and species, in extent of 

 geographical distribution and in adaptation to varied habits. 



Except in the far north and far south, on tops of mountains 

 or where there is no insect life spiders occur all over the world. 

 They occur far up mountain slopes, in tropical forests, in grassy 

 plains, in sandy deserts, in fresh water ponds and even between 

 tide marks on the sea shore. 



They live in all sorts of places. Some spiders like Aranea 

 frondosa are found around houses and are seldom found any 

 place else. In the corners of rooms very often one finds an 

 irregular network of webs which is the work of Theridiiim 

 tepidariorum. In barns and cellars are small flat webs made 



*Contribution from the Dept. of Zoology and Entomology, Ohio State Uni- 

 versity, No. 62. 



jExtracted from a paper written as the thesis requirement for the degree of 

 Master of Arts, Ohio State University. 



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