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HOW SPIDERS SURVIVE IN THE SNOW

                                      In his study of crab spiders, German researchers Peter Jaeger of Mainz University; has identified 50 new varieties which flourish in the snow and ice of the Himalayas, at altitudes of up to 3,800 meters [12,500 feet]. Though they can be up to four cm [1.6 inches] in size, the giant crab spiders pose absolutely no threat to humans. They lurk in crevices in the rocks or under tree bark and feed on insects, which they are able to locate easily because of their sensitive hearing. But why do these spiders not freeze in winter? Unlike their relatives in warmer climates, the Himalayan species are equipped with a “biological antifreeze, says Jaeger. They store highly-concentrated alcohols in their body fluids and this enables them to survive temperatures below freezing.”