THE THERIDID,^ 



113 



Fig. 261. Theridium rupicola, 

 enlarged eight times. 



laid in brownish pear-shaped cocoons, several of which are made 



in the same season by one spider and hang in the web. This 



species is found all over the world. 



Theridium rupicola. — This resembles closely tepidariorum and 



is easily mistaken for the young of that species. It does not 



grow larger than an eighth of an inch 



long. The colors are like tepidariorum, 



usually dark gray with black spots, the 



back of the abdomen sometimes almost 



white. The legs are distinctly ringed 



with light and dark. In the middle of 



the abdomen is a pointed hump, the 



front part generally black and the hinder 



part white (fig. 261). 



It lives under stones and among 



rocks, in webs like those of tepidariorum, often containing 



grains of sand which look as if placed there by the spider, 



as sand falling into such a web would go through without 



sticking to the threads. 



Theridium globosum. — This is another species with a high 



abdomen like tepidariorum. It is about a twelfth of an inch 



long and almost as high (fig. 262). The 

 abdomen is a little flattened behind and 

 pointed toward the spinnerets. The 

 hinder part is white, with a large black 

 spot in the middle, below which is some- 

 times a smaller black spot. Sometimes 

 there is a bright white line around the 

 light area. The front upper part of 

 the abdomen is yellowish gray, and the 



under part brown. The cephalothorax is orange brown, 



except a black spot between the eyes. The legs are 



orange brown. 



Fig. 262. Theridium glo- 

 bosum, enlarged eight 

 times. 



