Trapped in a Web

Espionage teaches you two lessons at the same time. Greetings Everyday Spy, Espionage teaches you two lessons at the same time: - Size is not the ultimate advantage - Never miss an opportunity to strike I was reminded of these lessons when I was helping my son study insects recently. He wanted to learn more about spiders -- specifically the difference between ground spiders and web spiders. When we lived in the UAE, ground spiders were a common sight. Many look big and scary (like the camel spider or the wolf spider), but they are not much of a threat to humans. Instead, humans fear the spider's cousin, the scorpion - a genuine threat across the Arabian peninsula. I grew up playing in the woods of central Pennsylvania. Bugs, wildlife, and all sorts of little critters were common on the weekend and after school adventures. But my son and daughter call Florida home. Each time we get ready to get on a plane and go back home, Florida is all they talk about. And Florida is spider central… Southern Florida is home to more different spider types than anywhere else in the United States. If you’ve ever taken a foot detour off of a Florida street or sidewalk, things get Jurassic Park pretty fast. Giant palm leaves, tall grass, and thick green underbrush that just crawls with life. And everywhere you look you see webs. Spider webs are one of the strongest organic fibers in the world. In terms of tensile strength, stretch, and breaking point, some spider webs out perform copper, nylon, and even steel. The Golden Orb-weaving spider has a web stronger than athletic clothing. The Darwin’s Bark Spider has the strongest web in the world, 10 times stronger than kevlar. And the American Yellow Garden spider (aka: Argiope Aurantia, seen in the picture above) - a common sight in Florida, Texas and most southern states - has a web strong enough to catch bats, birds, and small rodents. These insects survive by following the same [rules of espionage that kept me safe in the field...]( And they can keep you one step ahead, too. Godspeed, #EverydaySpy P.S. - [If you want to go deep into how spies protect themselves and stop bad guys,]( miss Shadow Lessons, the only digital platform where you can learn first-hand from elite intel operators from around the world!]( Follow @EverydaySpy on Social Media! [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [LinkedIn]( [YouTube]( [Instagram]( Andrew Bustamante, Founder of EverydaySpy.com, is a former covert CIA Intelligence officer, decorated US Air Force Combat Veteran, and respected Fortune 500 senior advisor. Learn more from Andrew on his Podcast (The Everyday Espionage Podcast) and by following @EverydaySpy on your favorite social media platform. This email was sent to {EMAIL}. Don't want to receive these emails anymore? [Unsubscribe]( EverydaySpy, 411 Walnut St. #20309, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043