Robert Saladino, age 13, of Utica, N. Y., or is quest:
What i s a trap door spider?
All spiders are spinners of silken thread, though not all of them use their gift of web weaving to catch insects. The trap door spider uses her silk to make a comfortable home for herself and her children. There are various trap door spiders living all over the world where there are insects. But in North America, we are most likely to find this interesting little creature in the dry desert regions of the Southwest.
In the world of spiders, Papa does not count for very much. He is always smaller than Mama and, sad to say, she very often eats him. The home life of the trap door spider, as with most spiders, centers around the mother. As a rule, the smaller creatures of the world tend to be poor and neglectful mothers. But this rule does not apply to Mrs. Trap door.
Her home is a little burrow which she digs herself. It is about three quarters of an inch wide and six inches straight down into the ground. The most careful of the trap door spiders lines her little tunnel with a webbing of the softest silk. She makes a little lid to fit on the top and, of all things, this amazing lid has a hinge.
The little lid, or trap door, is made of silk woven around bits of dirt. The edges of the tunnel and the trap door are oarefully beveled to fit together with perfection. The top of the door is covered with material to match the ground. The hinge is a web of elastic silk. When the little door is shut, the spider's home is absolutely invisible.
In this cozy home may live Mama Spider end a whole brood of little trap door spiders. The children will stay here until they axe almost grown, which may be eight months. After that, they will go forth to build their own trap door homes. The first home each youngster will build will be just big enough to hold her. As she grows, she will enlarge it, maybe several times, until she is full sized and ready to have youngsters of her own.
When hungry, which is often, the trap door spider opens her little door and creeps out into the world. She waits for an unsuspecting insect to come by, then she pounces. As a rule, she does not leave her burrow except to dine, After dinner, she is very careful to close her trap door tight.
Even so, she may fall prey to her enemies. Certain wasps are very fond of trap door spider meat, They wait around, hoping that the spider will be slow in closing her door. A trap door spider makes a very interesting pet. She will need a terrarium of soft earth and a fairly warm temperature. She will also need fresh insects for dinner, If well tended, she may live six or seven years in captivity.