Fun Facts: All about spiders

There are more than 40,000 kinds of spiders living on every continent except Antarctica. These carnivores (meat-eaters) use their fangs and venom to catch and kill their food. Closely related to scorpions and ticks, these eight-legged arachnids are quite helpful to people because they eat pesky insects.
Spiders have two main body parts: The cephalothorax and the abdomen, connected by a thin waist called the pedicel. Most spiders have eight eyes, but some have six, four or only two, and some cave species have no eyes.
All spiders have the ability to make silk, but not all spiders spin webs. Spiders use their silk for a variety of purposes. Some spin webs or drop lines to catch prey. Others use the silk to line their nests. Spiders leave a trail of silk behind them called a dragline. This is used as a lifeline when they are knocked off their web or other surface. Spiders make silk using their silk glands. Most spiders have five silk glands, and each gland produces a different kind of silk.
Some spiders only see light and shadow. Their eyes are considered “simple,” as they don’t have compound lenses like many insects do. Spiders do not have bones. Their bodies are contained in an outer skeleton covered in hairs and spines called an exoskeleton.
Dangerous Spiders
Spider bites are rarely deadly, but several species in North America are venomous, some more poisonous than others.
The black widow can be found in North America, from Canada to Mexico, and in the West Indies.
The brown recluse prefers warmer climates across the United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific coast.
There are about 900 species of tarantula. These hairy arachnids have a nasty reputation, but most are harmless to people. Many dig burrows and live in the ground, but some live in trees.
The hobo spider has a nasty, but not fatal, bite. It can be found in the northwest part of the United States, western Canada and throughout Europe.
Arachnophobia
Arachnophobia is the fear of spiders, and one of the more common phobias. Many people do not like spiders, and some truly fear them. This phobia may be rooted in ancient instincts that helped early humans survive.
Did you Know?
North America is home to more than 4,000 species of spiders. Spiders liquidise their food with digestive enzymes. They have appendages that they use like straws to suck up dinner.
Spider silk is made of protein and does not dissolve in water. It is considered to be the world’s strongest natural fibre.
Many ancient cultures have used spider silk as bandages. Spider silk protects wounds and has a natural antiseptic that helps prevent infections.
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