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fromThe New Yorker
3 months agoThe Cannibals Who Live Among Us
Kathryn Schulz confronts her fear of spiders, exploring their complexity and ecological role in her writing.
H.G. Wells' 1903 story 'The Valley of Spiders' reflects various themes, including persecution, femininity, and colonialism, all through its haunting portrayal of arachnids.
The purseweb spider, Britain’s only tarantula, is a stay-at-home species that primarily lives inside a silk tube resembling an old purse, which can be up to 25cm long. This unique structure limits their visibility but is essential for their survival, allowing them to remain hidden from predators while waiting for prey to pass by.