10 Amazing Facts About Spiders

10 Amazing Facts About Spiders...

Some people love them, and some hate them. Regardless of whether you're an arachnophile

(a person who loves spiders) or an arachnophobe (someone who doesn't), you'll find these 10

facts about spiders fascinating.

1. Their Bodies Have Two Parts.

All spiders, from tarantulas to jumping spiders, share this common trait. The simple eyes,

fangs, palps, and legs are all found on the anterior body region, called the cephalothorax.

The spinnerets reside on the posterior region, called the abdomen. The unsegmented abdomen

attaches to the cephalothorax by means of a narrow pedicel, giving the spider the appearance

of having a waist.

2. Most Are Venomous.

Spiders use venom to subdue their prey. The venom glands reside near the chelicerae, or

fangs, and are connected to the fangs by ducts. When a spider bites its prey, muscles around

the venom glands contract, pushing venom through the fangs and into the animal. Most spider

venom paralyzes the prey. The spider family Uloboridae is the only known exception to

this rule. Its members do not possess venom glands.

3. Some Even Hunt Birds.

Spiders hunt and capture prey. The majority feed on other insects and other invertebrates,

but some of the largest spiders may prey on vertebrates such as birds. The true spiders

of the order Araneae comprise the largest group of carnivorous animals on Earth.

4. They Can't Digest Solid Foods.

Before a spider can eat its prey, it must turn the meal into a liquid form. The spider

exudes digestive enzymes from its sucking stomach onto the victim's body. Once the enzymes

break down the tissues of the prey, the spider sucks up the liquefied remains, along with

digestive enzymes. The meal then passes to the spider's midgut, where nutrient absorption

occurs.

5. They Produce Silk.

Not only can all spiders make silk, but they can do so throughout their lifecycles. Spiders

use silk for many purposes: to capture prey, protect their offspring, reproduce, and assist

themselves as they move, as well as for shelter. However, not all spiders use silk in the same

way.

6. Not All Spin Webs.

Most people associate spiders with webs, but some spiders don't construct webs at all.

Wolf spiders, for example, stalk and overtake their prey, without the aid of a web. Jumping

spiders, which have remarkably good eyesight and move quickly, have no need for webs, either.

They simply pounce on their prey.

7. Male Spiders Use Special Appendages to Mate.

Spiders reproduce sexually, but males use an unusual method to transfer their sperm

to a mate. The male first prepares a silk bed or web, onto which he deposits sperm.