Chapter 5 INSECTS AND THEIR KIN The insect world populating the dense grass jungles and sand-dune deserts at Castle Neck is generally unfamiliar to the human towering above, yet its principal characters may readily be observed by the keen eye, or, better, the keen eye aided by a simple magnifying glass. Insects are identified by the presence of six legs. Insect-like animals may be found with more than six legs. Let’s look at these first. INSECT RELATIVES: MULTILEGGED CREATURES _Eight-legged Animals_ [Illustration: Ticks] Ticks (Ioxidae and Argasidae) Body egg-shaped in outline Very small head Parasitic on human beings as well as animals Ticks are quite common at the beach, but only the tourist who ventures into the woods will encounter them. From the tip of a blade of grass they hook on to a warm-blooded animal passing by. In removing a Tick some care is necessary so that the tiny head will not remain embedded in the victim. Ticks can usually be persuaded to let go if touched with a lighted cigarette or daubed with rubbing alcohol. [Illustration: Harvestmen] Harvestmen (_Phalangida_) Very small oval body Extremely long, slender legs Better known as “Daddy-long-legs,” these creatures resemble Spiders, but are not very closely related to them. They are perfectly harmless and cannot bite. Most of them feed on plant juices or dead insects. [Illustration: True Spiders] True Spiders (Araneida) Body divided into two distinct parts All have poison fangs Many spiders are to be found on Crane’s Beach. Most are small, harmless, and difficult to identify. However, some of the general groups may be readily recognized: Sheet-web Spiders (Linyphiidae): A small spider, usually less than a quarter of an inch long. Its sheetlike web identifies it. Orb-weaving Spiders (Argiopidae): All of these spiders build their webs like a wheel with radiating spokes. The Orange-and-Black Garden Spider (_Miranda aurantia_), a large species infesting grassy places in the fall, is typical of the group. Crab Spiders (Thomisidae): The Crab Spiders do not construct webs, but their crablike shape and the fact that they walk sidewise will identify them. Wolf Spiders (Lycosidae): This spider hunts its prey instead of building a web and waiting for its meal to happen along. Wolf Spiders are often large and quite hairy. The holes you find in the sand dunes are nurseries constructed by the female Sand Dune Wolf Spider (_Lycosa pikei_). Jumping Spiders (Attidae): “Jumpers” have a rather fat body that is heavily covered with hair. They too hunt their prey, often jumping several inches to capture it. _Creatures with More Than Eight Legs_ [Illustration: Sow Bugs] Sow Bugs (Isopoda) Flat, segmented body Less than ten pairs of legs