SPIDERS.
- Spiders are arachnids, not insects.
- Other members of the arachnid family include scorpions, mites, ticks and harvestmen.
- Spiders have 8 legs while insects have 6.
- Spiders don’t have antennae while insects do.
- Spiders are found on every continent of the world except Antarctica.
- There are around 40000 different species of spider.
- Most spiders make silk which they use to create spider webs and capture prey.
- Abandoned spider webs are called cobwebs.
- Most spiders are harmless to humans but a few spider species, such as the black widow, can bite humans and inject venom. Deaths from spider bites are rare however.
- An abnormal fear of spiders is called ‘arachnophobia’.
- Tarantulas are large and often hairy spiders, the biggest species have been known to kill mice, lizards and birds.
- Most tarantula species pose no threat to humans.
- The largest specie of tarantula is the Goliath Birdeater.
- Giant Huntsman spiders have leg-spans of around 30cm (12 in).
