Mrs. Epeira’s Mouth 
quick work of killing flies and other in- 
sects, it will have but little effect on you. 
It may make your finger smart or burn 
for a short time, in much the same way 
that the sting of a wasp or a bee would 
serve you. 
But remember this, that in spite of 
all the bad stories you may have heard 
about Spinners trying to bite people, 
no Spinner will ever use her poison- 
fang on you if you do not first attack 
her and compel her to bite you in self- 
defence. 
When Mrs. Epeira has captured her 
prey, she sets about chewing it up 
with all those pointed teeth on her 
mandibles and maxillae. She chews 
for hours at a time. ‘There is good 
reason for this, for no Spinner ever 
eats any solid food; everything must 
be reduced to the liquid state before 
it is sucked into the mouth with the 
thin lips. 
27 


