Spiders are one of the most familiar animals in the natural world, yet their biology and lifestyles are poorly known to the general public. The large orb webs in vegetation are a good indicator of their presence, but such webs are constructed by only a certain percentage of spiders. Other kinds live in the ground, in leaf litter, under tree bark, and in freshwater streams. Spiders have been found to never be farther than twelve feet from humans. In this volume, award-winning author Seymour Simon provides an informative, concise, and sometimes surprising review of what is known about spiders.—Gary F. HevelNational Museum of Natural History