Spiders are not insects but eight-legged, mostly predatory invertebrate animals characterized by multiple jointed appendages and a chitinous exoskeleton. There are more than 40,000 known spider species in the world, which are scientifically classified under the order Araneae within the class Arachnida. Almost all of these spiders (excepting the cribellate orb weavers) are venomous, and they use the venom to subdue their prey.
1. What are spider webs made of?
Spider webs are made of silk produced by spiders for capturing their prey.
2. How many eyes do spiders have?
Most spider species have eight eyes, but some can have fewer or no eyes at all.
Spiders usually live to be around 1-2 years old, with the females living longer than males.
4. What do spiders eat?
They are mostly carnivorous animals and prey on insects, but some larger species can kill and eat lizards and frogs.
5. How much does a spider weigh?
Their weight varies depending on the species, with the smaller spiders weighing from 1-10 mg and the larger ones from 10-175 g. The Patu digua spider weighs as little as 1 mg while the Goliath Birdeater is probably the heaviest, weighing 175 g.
6. Do spiders molt their skin?
Yes, all spiders shed their old exoskeleton and form a new one to grow in size.
7. Can spiders fly?
Spiderlings and some adult spiders can fly thousands of miles on strands of silk to disperse to different locations, which is called ballooning.
8. Are spiders nocturnal or diurnal animals?
Most spiders are active at night, and they tend to remain inactive during the day, hiding in cracks, crevices, or their webs.
9. What do spiders look like?
Spiders have a segmented body divided into cephalothorax and abdomen, bearing visible body parts that include eight legs, two jaws with fangs, a pair of pedipalps, and eight or fewer simple-eyes.
10. What are the different stages in the spider life cycle?
A spider’s life cycle includes four stages
11. Where do spiders go in the winter?
Some spider species stay dormant, while others produce antifreeze to survive the winter.
12. Where do spiders live?
They are distributed throughout the world and occur in every continent except Antarctica.
13. What predators eat spiders?
Some animals that eat spiders include birds, cats, snakes, lizards, scorpions, monkeys, and wasps.
14. Which is the fastest spider in the world?
The Giant House Spider is the fastest in the world, and its maximum running speed is 1.73 ft/s.
15. What is a group of spiders called?
A group of spiders is referred to as a cluster or clutter.
16. Can spiders hear noises?
Scientists have found that a spider uses the sensitive hairs on its legs to detect sounds and can identify them from several meters away.
17. Can spiders smell?
Yes, spiders can detect smell using the scent-sensitive hairs on their legs.
18. Do spiders make noise?
Male spiders of some species, such as the Wolf Spider, produce vibrations to communicate with the females. When these vibrations hit the surrounding dried leaves, they start vibrating, which creates a low ‘purring’ noise that is audible to humans.
19. Do spiders feel pain?
Since spiders do not have any emotions, they do not feel pain and cannot suffer. However, they may feel irritated or sense any damage.
20. Why does a spider curl up when it dies?
When spiders die, their heart stops working, and blood circulation ceases, which causes the leg muscles to stop extending. The muscles go back to the original length, and the legs curl up.
21. Can spiders swim?
Although the small spiders cannot propel their bodies like a swimmer, some of them can run on water. Large spider species, such as tarantulas, can use their legs for paddling and rowing across the water.
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