Spiders: The Ultimate Predators

Spiders are the most successful of all terrestrial predators.

Humans share the planet with about 40,000 known species of the remarkable creatures called spiders. From mountaintops to seashores and from ponds to deserts, spiders are likely to be nearby.

Stephen Dalton provides fascinating information on the astonishing array of techniques spiders use for catching their prey: trapping in webs, lassoing, jumping, stealing, chasing, ambushing, spitting, fishing, masquerading as other animals and even attracting prey by mimicking the prey's pheromones.

Although spiders have an image problem, many of these intriguing creatures are actually not at all creepy. The jumping spiders, by far the most numerous single group, have, some might say, an almost cuddly appearance.

Spiders features spectacular photographs that are extraordinary in their detail. Chapters provide information on habitat, hunting techniques, anatomy, general characteristics and location in the world and include:

• Nocturnal hunters
• Trappers: orderly webs
• Daylight visual hunters
• Trappers: disorderly webs
• Jumping spiders
• Tunnel-web builders
• Ambushers and lurkers
• Nonconformists.

There is also a guide to photographing spiders.

Sure to be a hit with nature buffs and general readers, Spiders: The Ultimate Predators documents some spider behavior never recorded previously.