Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1385129
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 20 JUNE 2021 9 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 767. Nursery web spider A survey once tried to determine what people fear most, and spiders came out on top, trumping even death. The legs, the skulk, the ven- om, the hairiness, no doubt all helped. So it may come as a surprise that many spiders are paragons of motherhood, who defend their offspring from predators. One such species is the nursery web spider (M. pizawra), an elegant, long-legged creature that not only hauls her round ball of eggs wherever she roams, but builds a special silk nursery in which her spiderlings spend their first days in relative se- curity. If you spot one such nursery in a shrub, look around for mum standing guard nearby. Oh, and they're harmless to humans, so save the screaming for a horror movie. Victor Falzon www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 659: Find out more on how you can be part of our future! www.foemalta.org/get-involved/ 50 years of Friends of the Earth International FOEI is the world's largest grassroots environmental network, unit- ing 73 national member groups and some 5,000 local activist groups on every continent. With over 2 million members and supporters around the world Friends of the Earth Malta (then called Moviment ghall-Ambjent) became part of Friends of the Earth International in 1991. Today, the urgent need to radically transform our societies and change the system, as proposed by Friends of the Earth Inter- national, is more evident than ever. Peoples all over the world are fighting to take control, to reorganise the energy, food and econom- ic systems and to undo the dichotomy between nature and society. VISIT Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foemalta.org/donate Appster Smartphone fun and smarter work Chegg eReader Free Apple, Andriod Every college student is familiar with handing over several 100-dollar bills and lugging many pounds of textbooks from the campus store. Chegg's goal is to take some of the pain out of that process. The app lets you rent, buy, or sell books. The company offers study apps, too. TECH RETAILERS contact afarrugia@ mediatoday.com.mt A GOOD WEEK FOR Good Week/Bad Week Don't miss this A BAD WEEK FOR The International Spring Orchestra Festival Palazzo de La Salle, 219, Republic Street, Valletta 15-19 June The 15th edition of the International Spring Orchestra Festival (ISOF), under the artistic direction of composer Karl Fiorini, runs from 15 to 19 June. Inspired by music from Germany labelled 'Degenerate' and banned by the Nazi regime between 1933 and 1945, the ISOF will host seven concerts over five days in various locations For fans of Diana Ross. The soul icon has revealed details of her first album in 15 years. Thank You is the follow-up to Ross's 2006 album I Love You, and was recorded entirely in her home studio during the pandemic. For fans of the Womad festival. Peter Gabriel, who has been running the festival since 1982 has warned he may have to cancel it this year, unless the government helps organisers get insurance. The title track was released at midnight on Thursday The musician's world music festival has been running for 40 years Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member