Sheet Weaver Money Spider (Linyphildae) and Golden Western Blind Thread Snake (Rena Humilis Humilis)
The Sheet Weaver Money Spider belongs to Linyphildae, the second largest family of spiders in the world. They are known for their hammock and dome shaped webs, which are often found glittering with dew in early morning fields, as well as a particular technique called “ballooning” – drifting through the air attached to a single thread in order to travel to other locations. Because they are actually quite tiny, they are not easy to study and hence not fully understood They are, however, considered to be biological control agents against some pest species such as aphids and springtails. In several countries they are called money spiders because of an ancient folk tale that states that if the spider is found on a person, it has come to spin and weave you new clothes, which, in turn, indicates a better financial future.
The Golden Western Thread Snake is in the family Leptotyphlopidae. The snakes are endemic to the southwestern United States and Northern Mexico. They are blind, pinkish, shiny and wormlike, being only the thickness of a coat hanger wire and usually not more than 12” long. They are the same thickness throughout their length and are florescent under black light. Unlike other snakes, their scales are the same all around their body. Their diet is mostly insects larvae and eggs.
Dimensions: base: 21” x 21”; plexiglass box” 18”w x 18”d x 16”h
Materials and techniques
Grasses: tapestry woven multi selvedge cotton warp, silk wrapped stainless steel and nylon, silk, and rami weft. Lichens: tapestry woven multi selvedge rami warp, paper moire , wool and raffia weft. Spider: tapestry woven silk wrapped stainless steel warp, wool weft. Hammock web: woven multi selvedge gold metallic thread warp and weft. Snake: tapestry woven linen warp, rami and gold metallic thread.
Branches: crocheted linen paper wrapped around galvanized steel wire with crocheted wool moss. Recycled pine box, found rocks, book cloth on book board, Velcroed plexiglass box.
“Sheet Weaver Money Spider (Linyphildae)
and Golden Western Blind Thread Snake (Rena Humilis Humilis)” details