Roger's Spider Stronghold is now open!

Glad you like!

Living in a corner of my studio all summer were two cellar spiders aka long-legged spiders--not to be confused with the harvestmen--probably genus Pholcus. They build massive webs--more like cobwebs--and when they build new webs, instead of eating the old one, they just add to it. Well, one of them died, but the other still lives on. Pictured is a similar spider.

We were out camping near Dallas and noticed an Araneus spider--orb weaver--in the morning eating her web. She was in the middle hub and all that was left was a section, maybe a wedge 1/5 of the entire web. She started pulling it toward her consuming it, and the whole thing folded up and collapsed to a point as she drew it into her mouth. The whole process took just a few seconds.

Now, the question that occurred to me was, since spiders only consume liquids, how did she eat it

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/images2/argemred1c.jpg

We were out camping near Dallas and noticed an Araneus spider--orb weaver--in the morning eating her web. She was in the middle hub and all that was left was a section, maybe a wedge 1/5 of the entire web. She started pulling it toward her consuming it, and the whole thing folded up and collapsed to a point as she drew it into her mouth. The whole process took just a few seconds.

Now, the question that occurred to me was, since spiders only consume liquids, how did she eat it? Did it immediately liquefy in her mouth?

Pictured is a similar spider and web.

http://waynesword.palomar.edu/images2/argemred1c.jpg

Mohawk Jumping Spider

I didn't know some had mohawks, Vonny. What a cutie!

That it is, and I was beginning to wonder what happened to Vonny.

All present and correct!

Here's a fish-eating spider - does it really exist? Yikes! According to a new study, spiders in 8 of the world's 109 arachnid families can catch and consume small fish. Some of them can even subdue fish five times heavier than they are. These arachnids are nearly everywhere. The study, published June 18 in the journal PLOS ONE, says fish-eating spiders can be found on every continent except Antarctica. They're especially prevalent in warm, oxygen-depleted bodies of water like the wetlands of Florida, where fish are more likely to come to the surface in search of oxygen-rich water. At least 18 species have now been observed catching fish, including six-spotted fishing spiders (Dolomedes triton) in the United States, pond wolf spiders (Pardosa peudoannulata) in India, and great raft spiders (Dolomedes plantarius) in the United Kingdom.

I had no idea. I thought you were joking at first, but there's even video:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/06/140618-spiders-fish-predator-ecology-water-weird-science/

In the vein of Mega Shark Versus Crocosaurus and Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus, Mega Shark vs Mega Wolf Spider!

10 Things People With A Spider On Their Face Are Tired Of Hearing

A spider climbs across its web in Sulawesi, Indonesia.

Nice photo! Looks like a spiny orb-weaver.

Social Spiders

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20160122-meet-the-spiders-that-have-formed-armies-50000-strong

It is like a scene from a horror film: spider webs several metres wide that are home to thousands of spiders. Why did these spiders turn social?

Clearly, they like to gossip.

It's a helluva network.

How do spiders climb up walls?

Daddy Long Legs: Ancient Arachnid Fossil Shows 99-Million-Year-Old Spider With Erection, Study Says
A fossil of the arachnid harvestman, Halitherses grimaldii, was found encased in amber in Myanmar with an erection, according to a study published in the Science of Nature journal Thursday.

Meet the 14 New Types of Spiders That Will Terrify You for the Rest of Your Life