If you’ve ever been tempted to drop a spider down a friend’s neck, wait. These critters are much more interesting to watch in the wild. The wolf spider becomes a school bus when her eggs hatch. She takes the children everywhere she goes, letting them off only for a drink by a stream.
Fisher spiders sit on riverbanks with two legs stretched forward on the water. When a small fish swims by, they plunge in, grab their prey, and haul it up on shore. (They probably lie about its size to their friends too.) Raft spiders sew leaves together and go boating down a river, getting off whenever they see something to eat.
Jumping spiders sneak up on their prey, then leap catlike upon it. Crab spiders change color. Spitting spiders wait until a fly comes near, then spit a sticky gum all over it. Cowboy spiders put a blob of glue on the end of a short piece of silk, then twirl it over their heads and lasso passing moths.
Mating is pretty dangerous for male spiders. If they aren’t careful, the female may invite them over for a meal in which they become the main course. Yuck!
Web spinning is incredible to watch. If you’re fortunate, you might see a spider spinning its delicate trap in the woods by your house. Toss in a grasshopper or fly and watch the webmaster go to work.
Spiders aren’t the terrible creatures most people think they are. God gave them amazing abilities. But you won’t see any of them if you drop them down someone’s neck!