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LOOKING AT ANIMAL HOMES |
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Animals use their homes for sleeping, but that's not all they do there. Scroll down to see some of the amazing ways animals create and use their homes.
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Beaver Lodge | Catbird Nest | Spider Web |
| ROLL OVER the dotted line to "build" these homes yourself! |  |
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| Who lives in this home? |
Most beaver families consist of a mother, a father, and three babies. |
The nest is home to the female catbird and her eggs (usually 2-6 of
them) for about two weeks during the spring.  |
Each spider web is home to a single spider, who sits in the center to
wait for prey. She does not lay her eggs here, but leaves
the web to hide her eggs elsewhere, often under leaves.  |
| Where is it built? |
Beavers build their homes in rivers, streams, and ponds. Most beavers live in North America, but they can also be found in parts of Europe and Asia. | Catbirds live in North and South America. They build their nests in low bushes or on the ground. | The most familiar spider webs are those built by orb weavers. Their webs can be found all over the world in marshes, forests, caves, barns and houses. |
| What is it made of? |
Beaver lodges are made of piled-up sticks, held together with mud. First they build a dam across the river, to slow down the rushing water, and then they build their lodge behind the dam. | The nests are made of twigs, and the inside is lined with rootlets, hair or grass. | The web is made from a silky thread that comes out of the spider's body as it moves. Orb weavers create wagon-wheel-shaped webs, about 12 inches across, with a zigzag pattern running down the center. |
| What can it do? |
A beaver lodge is a hideout! Because it is surrounded by water, it keeps predators like wolves or bears away. It even has a secret underwater entrance. Can you find it? | The thick, cup-like shape of the nest protects and cushions the eggs. Because these nests are so sturdy, they can sometimes last several seasons. | A spider web is a trap for catching the spider's meals! An insect gets caught in the sticky web. Then the spider injects the victim with a venom that paralyzes him, and turns his insides into a liquid substance, which the spider sucks out. |
| How does it affect its environment? |
The backed-up water from beaver dams and lodges often creates new ponds. Sometimes this causes problems for people who are using the river, but it can also help to prevent flooding. | The catbird nest blends into its environment because it is made from the materials found in the area. | In homes, many people consider spiders a nuisance. But farmers consider them to be beneficial, because they help control the population of other insect pests. |
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Venom is a poisonous fluid produced by certain snakes, spiders and insects and injected by a bite or sting. |
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