THE THERIDID^E 



I I I 



colored. They live in more open places on plants, where they 

 make nests in which they are partly hidden, and carry their 

 webs over the neighboring leaves and twigs (figs. 253, 254). 



Fig. 257. Web of young Theridium tepidariorum in a crack of a rock. Half the real size. 

 The spider stood in the middle under the closely woven part. 



Theridium tepidariorum. — This is one of the most common 

 house spiders, and is often found in its webs among rocks, but 

 seldom on plants. The females (fig. 258) measure sometimes 

 over a quarter of an inch in length, but may mature much 

 smaller. The legs of the first pair are nearly three times the 



