Il8 NATURE STUDY 



hind legs on the stayline and the web springs suddenly, further 

 entangling the prey. For these and other kinds of webs the 

 teacher and class may search. There is an unlimited and always 

 interesting field of observation in the study of spiders' webs, and 

 it is a field always open to the nature study class. 



Finally, there is one other peculiar phenomenom which may 

 be observed in connection with spiders and spiders' silk. On 

 some bright warm days, there may be noticed many "spider 

 webs" or long threads of spiders' silk, floating in the air. Some 

 of these threads are floating at considerable heights. Careful 

 observation will show that not only are "spider webs" floating, 

 but attached to many of them are small spiders which are thus 

 sailing or " ballooning" thru the air. These are called balloon- 

 ing or aeronautic spiders. Examine carefully the top of fence 

 posts or other exposed raised points and you may be fortunate 

 enough to discover one of these spiders about to make an ascen- 

 sion. The small spider will be standing with its legs close 

 together and straight, the body being thus lifted as high as may 

 be, and the tip of the abdomen pointing upward. From the 

 spinnerets (at the tip of the abdomen) are issuing lines floating 

 freely. These line are gradually spun out (being really drawn out 

 by the pull of the wind) until they become so long that the wind 

 bears them off with the spider attached to them. Spiders 

 may make long journeys in this manner, and get themselves 

 widely dispersed from an original habitat. These ballooning 

 spiders are mostly young, and hence small individuals of various 

 species; but some adult spiders of small size are also aeronauts. 



From this brief account of some of the habits and manners 

 of spiders it is hoped that the nature study teacher may obtain 

 suggestions for numerous lessons. The observations can be made 

 as opportunity ofiers; field work should be attempted only on 

 bright sunny days when insects are all astir, and the spiders are 

 busy. Schoolroom work can be more definitely controlled; the 



