Overview
- Presents basic information on spiders and answers all everyday questions about spiders
- Easy to understand and richly illustrated with aesthetically pleasing images
- Written by scientists for the public audience in plain and accessible language
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Table of contents (20 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Facts on Structure and Function
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Front Matter
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We are Living in a World of Spiders
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Front Matter
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Keywords
About this book
All You Need to Know About Spiders
Spiders are super predators and devour everything they can overpower. To do this, they have developed incredibly good catching techniques and, with spider silk, a tool that makes material technology green with envy. The males are usually smaller than the females and, in order to have sex, they have to come up with a lot to avoid being misunderstood as easy prey: Dancing, drumming, and gifts almost always help. Spiders use their venom in very precise doses, and since humans are not on their menu, they are harmless to us. Many people's (unnecessary) fear of spiders finds cultural roots as early as the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, spider fear is easily treatable. There is no habitat or building without spiders. And that's a good thing, because spiders have fascinating properties and their world is full of surprises. Everything you need to know about them is explained in this book in understandable language by experts for laymen. In addition, some of the most common spider species in the house and garden are briefly presented with tips for observation.
The authors
This book is authored by eight scientists, all of them members of the Association for the Promotion of Spider Research: Wolfgang Nentwig, Jutta Ansorg, Angelo Bolzern, Holger Frick, Anne-Sarah Ganske, Ambros Hänggi, Christin Kropf und Anna Stäubli
Spiders are super predators and devour everything they can overpower. To do this, they have developed incredibly good catching techniques and, with spider silk, a tool that makes material technology green with envy. The males are usually smaller than the females and, in order to have sex, they have to come up with a lot to avoid being misunderstood as easy prey: Dancing, drumming, and gifts almost always help. Spiders use their venom in very precise doses, and since humans are not on their menu, they are harmless to us. Many people's (unnecessary) fear of spiders finds cultural roots as early as the Middle Ages. Nevertheless, spider fear is easily treatable. There is no habitat or building without spiders. And that's a good thing, because spiders have fascinating properties and their world is full of surprises. Everything you need to know about them is explained in this book in understandable language by experts for laymen. In addition, some of the most common spider species in the house and garden are briefly presented with tips for observation.
The authors
This book is authored by eight scientists, all of them members of the Association for the Promotion of Spider Research: Wolfgang Nentwig, Jutta Ansorg, Angelo Bolzern, Holger Frick, Anne-Sarah Ganske, Ambros Hänggi, Christin Kropf und Anna Stäubli
Reviews
“The book is well-illustrated. … this popular book has made a very good impression on me. No doubt it will be a very useful and reliable source of general information about spiders for 6th-formers, students and aspiring naturalists. Yet, not belonging to any of these categories, as a professional arachnologist, I found the reading of this book refreshing and very rewarding. Finally, it is a good value for money. I highly recommend it to both amateur and professional arachnologists alike.” (Dmitri V. Logunov, Newsletter of the British Arachnological Society, Issue 154, 2022)
Authors and Affiliations
About the authors
Wolfgang Nentwig
Biology studies, 1981 PhD, University of Marburg (Germany)
1983–1984 Visiting Researcher at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama), Assistant Professor University of Regensburg
1988–2019 Professor of Ecology, University of Bern (Switzerland), research interests in agroecology, invasion ecology, spider ecology, spider venom
Co-founder of "araneae – Spiders of Europe" (https://araneae.nmbe.ch) and co-organizer of the World Spider Catalog (https://wsc.nmbe.ch)
Jutta Ansorg
Studies in energy- and process engineering and PhD 2001, Technical University of Berlin
1993–1998 Lecturer in practical mathematics and research in the field of process engineering
1998–2014 Engineer in international power plant and waste incineration plant construction in Switzerland
Since 2014 specialist for airpollution control and noise protection in the Canton of Aargau (Switzerland)
She has been involved with spiders outside of work for about 45 years.
Angelo Bolzern
Biology studies and PhD 2010, University of Basel (Switzerland)
2012–2013 Research visit to the American Museum of Natural History, New York (USA) on spider taxonomy and systematics
2014–2018 Freelance researcher, employment in practical nature conservation and environmental education, training as a high school teacher
since 2019 Staff member Education & Outreach, Natural History Museum Basel (Switzerland)
Holger Frick
Biology studies and PhD 2010, University of Bern and Natural History Museum Bern (Switzerland)
2010–2011 PostDoc at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen
2011–2014 Head of Department, Office for the Environment and Curator of the State Natural History Collection Liechtenstein
2014–2019 Head of the natural history museum, Naturama Aargau (Switzerland)
2019–2020 Project Manager, Swiss Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum Fribourg (Switzerland)
Since 2021 Head of Biosciences and Curator of Invertebrates at the Natural History Museum Basel (Switzerland)
Anne-Sarah Ganske
Biology studies, 2014 Bachelor of Science (Biology), 2016 Master of Science (Biodiversity and Ecology), University of Greifswald (Germany)
2017–2018 Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Austria)
2019 PhD in Biology at the University of Vienna (Austria); Research topics: morphology and sensory biology of spiders; morphology, systematics and phylogeny of centipedes
Ambros Hänggi
Biology studies, dissertation 1987, University of Bern (Switzerland)
Assistantat the University of Bern and freelance biologist; Co-editor of the catalogue of Swiss spiders (1990)
1990-2020 Curator for invertebrates (excluding insects) at the Natural History Museum Basel (Switzerland), from 2021 honorary assistant; Conception and implementation of special exhibitions and projects for the comprehensible communication of research results
Research focus on faunistics and systematics of spiders
Co-founder of "araneae - Spiders of Europe" (https://araneae.nmbe.ch)
Christian Kropf
Biology studies, 1992 PhD, University of Graz (Austria)
1992–1995 Assistant at the University of Graz
1994 Research visit University of New Delhi (India)
since 1995 Curator for invertebrates at the Natural History Museum Bern (Switzerland)
since 1996 Lecturer at the University of Bern, 2011 Habilitation
main research interests taxonomy, systematics, functional morphology of arthropods, especially spiders
Co-founder of "araneae – Spiders of Europe" (https://araneae.nmbe.ch) and co-organizer of the World Spider Catalog (https://wsc.nmbe.ch)
Anna Stäubli
Studies in Natural Sciences, 1998 Diplom an der ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
2005 resp. 2006/2011 further education in systematics and taxonomy of spiders and butterflies
1998–2013 employee in office for nature conservation in agriculture
Since 2013 owner of the company Projekte Ökologie Landwirtschaft: specialized in field surveys of spiders, butterflies, grasshoppers and dragonflies, as well as nature conservation consulting and impact monitoring
Biology studies, 1981 PhD, University of Marburg (Germany)
1983–1984 Visiting Researcher at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (Panama), Assistant Professor University of Regensburg
1988–2019 Professor of Ecology, University of Bern (Switzerland), research interests in agroecology, invasion ecology, spider ecology, spider venom
Co-founder of "araneae – Spiders of Europe" (https://araneae.nmbe.ch) and co-organizer of the World Spider Catalog (https://wsc.nmbe.ch)
Jutta Ansorg
Studies in energy- and process engineering and PhD 2001, Technical University of Berlin
1993–1998 Lecturer in practical mathematics and research in the field of process engineering
1998–2014 Engineer in international power plant and waste incineration plant construction in Switzerland
Since 2014 specialist for airpollution control and noise protection in the Canton of Aargau (Switzerland)
She has been involved with spiders outside of work for about 45 years.
Angelo Bolzern
Biology studies and PhD 2010, University of Basel (Switzerland)
2012–2013 Research visit to the American Museum of Natural History, New York (USA) on spider taxonomy and systematics
2014–2018 Freelance researcher, employment in practical nature conservation and environmental education, training as a high school teacher
since 2019 Staff member Education & Outreach, Natural History Museum Basel (Switzerland)
Holger Frick
Biology studies and PhD 2010, University of Bern and Natural History Museum Bern (Switzerland)
2010–2011 PostDoc at the Natural History Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen
2011–2014 Head of Department, Office for the Environment and Curator of the State Natural History Collection Liechtenstein
2014–2019 Head of the natural history museum, Naturama Aargau (Switzerland)
2019–2020 Project Manager, Swiss Academy of Sciences and Natural History Museum Fribourg (Switzerland)
Since 2021 Head of Biosciences and Curator of Invertebrates at the Natural History Museum Basel (Switzerland)
Anne-Sarah Ganske
Biology studies, 2014 Bachelor of Science (Biology), 2016 Master of Science (Biodiversity and Ecology), University of Greifswald (Germany)
2017–2018 Marie-Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the Natural History Museum Vienna (Austria)
2019 PhD in Biology at the University of Vienna (Austria); Research topics: morphology and sensory biology of spiders; morphology, systematics and phylogeny of centipedes
Ambros Hänggi
Biology studies, dissertation 1987, University of Bern (Switzerland)
Assistantat the University of Bern and freelance biologist; Co-editor of the catalogue of Swiss spiders (1990)
1990-2020 Curator for invertebrates (excluding insects) at the Natural History Museum Basel (Switzerland), from 2021 honorary assistant; Conception and implementation of special exhibitions and projects for the comprehensible communication of research results
Research focus on faunistics and systematics of spiders
Co-founder of "araneae - Spiders of Europe" (https://araneae.nmbe.ch)
Christian Kropf
Biology studies, 1992 PhD, University of Graz (Austria)
1992–1995 Assistant at the University of Graz
1994 Research visit University of New Delhi (India)
since 1995 Curator for invertebrates at the Natural History Museum Bern (Switzerland)
since 1996 Lecturer at the University of Bern, 2011 Habilitation
main research interests taxonomy, systematics, functional morphology of arthropods, especially spiders
Co-founder of "araneae – Spiders of Europe" (https://araneae.nmbe.ch) and co-organizer of the World Spider Catalog (https://wsc.nmbe.ch)
Anna Stäubli
Studies in Natural Sciences, 1998 Diplom an der ETH Zürich (Switzerland)
2005 resp. 2006/2011 further education in systematics and taxonomy of spiders and butterflies
1998–2013 employee in office for nature conservation in agriculture
Since 2013 owner of the company Projekte Ökologie Landwirtschaft: specialized in field surveys of spiders, butterflies, grasshoppers and dragonflies, as well as nature conservation consulting and impact monitoring
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: All You Need to Know About Spiders
Authors: Wolfgang Nentwig, Jutta Ansorg, Angelo Bolzern, Holger Frick, Anne-Sarah Ganske, Ambros Hänggi, Christian Kropf, … Anna Stäubli
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90881-2
Publisher: Springer Cham
eBook Packages: Biomedical and Life Sciences, Biomedical and Life Sciences (R0)
Copyright Information: Association for the Promotion of Spider Research 2022
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-030-90880-5Published: 08 April 2022
eBook ISBN: 978-3-030-90881-2Published: 07 April 2022
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIV, 245
Number of Illustrations: 12 b/w illustrations, 151 illustrations in colour
Topics: Zoology, Biodiversity, Ecology, Physiology, Pharmacology/Toxicology