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Spider Basics: Amazing Arachnids
 Spiders are small eight-legged, silk-spinning, wingless arthropods. People often confuse spiders with insects. But a quick leg count reveals the difference. Insects-such as ants, bees, and flies - have six legs. Spiders have eight legs. And while most insects have wings and antennae, spiders have neither. So if spiders aren't insects, what are they? They're arachnids, a varied group that includes ticks, mites, scorpions and daddy longlegs. There are some 30,000 species of spiders on Earth! All of them are predators of insects and other small prey, most are absolutely harmless to humans. |
| Spiders can be found almost everywhere, hunting successfully in deserts, forests, mountains, and prairies. Their sizes also vary, from the Goliath birdeater tarantula that can grow to the size of a dinner plate, to the mygalomorph from Borneo, the size of a mere pinhead. |
| One of the most amazing spider feats is their ability to create webs, producing seven kinds of silk which is used to trap prey, parachute through the air, and to shelter themselves and their young. This silk is produced by different specialized silk glands and nozzles called spinnerets in their abdomen. Scientists have been studying the silk of orb weaver spiders which rivals the strength of steel. |
 Check out our Spider Anatomy page to learn more about the unique parts that make them such great predators. Then test your knowledge in our Spider Prey Challenge; you'll be amazed at the methods they use to catch their prey!
All photos (c) Kim Phillips |
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