RED SPIDER. 



217 



RED SPIDER. 



Red Spider. Tetranyclws (AcaniR) telarlm, Linn. 



Teteanychus telaeius. — 1. Female, showing, at a, the special glands of the 

 silk-forming apparatus ; at b, the striations of the genito-anal region. 2. Body 

 of male ; a, respiratory apparatus ; b, reproductory apparatus. 3. One of the 

 anterior legs, showing the setiform hair on the 6th article, the terminal hooks, 

 and the four terminal cupuliferous hairs. 4. Hexapod larva in the egg, a little 

 before hatching, with cross-line showing position of coming fracture of the egg. 

 (Reduced from plate x. of ' Eecherches pourservir al'histoire desTetranyques,' 

 par A. L. Donnadieu.) Nat. dimensions given in letterpress. 



The "Eecl Spider" is best known by the enormous amount 

 of damage which in dry and hot seasons it causes to the 

 leafage in our Hoj^ grounds. But it is also to be found 

 commonly and to such a serious amount on many other kinds 

 of leafage, that, although it is not an insect, it may well be 

 included amongst the injurious infestations of our orchard 

 trees and fruit bushes. 



This minute Acarvs is not a true spider, but belongs to the 

 division of Arachmda known as "Spinning Mites"; and 

 the above figure of the foot, greatly magnified, shows the long 

 stiff hairs, with globular formations at their extremities, which 

 the Eed Spiders make use of in arranging or in travelling 

 amongst the w^ebs which they form on the under side of leaves 

 or the surface of bark, composed of threads so fine that they 

 are scarcely perceptible without a strong magnifying-glass. 



