Spiders: The Ultimate Predators

I have never warmed much to spiders … [they] are too creepy … Well, I’m wrong and this book has changed my mind. Spiders are tops… . One is tempted to think there is no such thing as a dull spider.

– British Wildlife

The hair-raising factor will attract even arachnophobic teens.

– Booklist

Spiders provides information on habitat, hunting techniques, anatomy, general characteristics and location of spiders, the most successful of all terrestrial predators in the world. Stephen Dalton has chosen to focus on spiders’ hunting methods and 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.

The spiders are grouped by their method of hunting:

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

Dalton’s spectacular photographs are extraordinary in their detail, and some of them document spider behavior never recorded previously. He also gives expert guidance on photographing spiders.