About Spiders

Spiders the world over have typically been looked at in different ways by different cultures. In America spiders have gone through a long perceptual history going from an omen of good luck in early colonial times, to being a creepy sign of death in pop culture movies like Arachnophobia. No matter how these eight legged arachnids are perceived today, they typically serve their purpose efficiently in the animal kingdom.

  1. Types

    • Some may only be familiar with only a few types of spiders, some of the more popular being the black widow marked by a red hour-glass like shape on its lower abdomen. Black widow females are known for killing and consuming males after mating and their highly toxic bites. Beyond the black widow however there are many spiders whose names are not so well known. There are over 3,000 of known species of spiders in America alone and 38,000 around the world. Entomologists suspect that all species have not been discovered yet. Common spiders in North America include the crablike, orb weaver, wolf and various jumping spider species to name a few. Some spiders prefer to life in small pits in the ground will others prefer building webs in the foliage of trees.

    Size

    • Among the different types of spiders, they also come in various shapes and sizes. Goliath Tarantula spiders and the Carolina Wolf spider are some of America's largest spiders and can grow in excess of 10 inches including leg span. These spiders dwarf other smaller spiders like anapid spiders who typically like to dwell in cooler climates. Anapid spiders can dry out quickly because of their small bodies and have to stay near shade and water making forests perfect environments.

    Function

    • Spiders the world over serve to help to keep the insect population under control through feeding on insects for sustenance. By using different methods to capture prey, they are able to feed to stay alive. Mygalomorph spiders ambush their prey and typically do this by waiting for passing prey in burrows. Flower, crab, and wolf spiders actually hunt their prey using good eyesight and strong front legs to hold their prey after chasing them down. Some of these ambushing spiders prey may be bigger than the spiders themselves. The more well known method of prey capture by humans however are web based spiders who capture their prey by building webs with their spinneret's to ensnare prey.

    Significance

    • Spiders are an integral part of the food chain. Without spiders many of the animals that we as human deem as pests would get out of control such as house flies, crickets, roaches and other undesirables. As a matter of fact, some farmers often allow spiders to remain in their crops because they kill many of the animals that will damage them providing somewhat of a symbiotic relationship. Spiders also are also food for humans in some cultures and for many animals such as birds and frogs. Spiders like insects dwell in every major corner of the world and are one of many of the balances nature has provided in life.

    Warning

    • Although spiders are interesting and sometimes captivating animals, they should all be handled with care because of their often deadly drawback. Many spiders are poisonous, but most poisonous spiders are not deadly. This may be true in most cases, but reactions to spider venom vary from person to person meaning that some may have severe allergic reactions while other may not. Beyond the differences in human reaction to venom, not every hospital carries anti-venom for spider bites making it nearly impossible to get immediate treatment if bitten. Some popular poisonous spiders are the previously stated black and brown widow, funnel web, red-back, white tailed, and mouse spiders all of which have potentially deadly bites varying on reaction. To help avoid a spider bite, be sure to use the 'look before you reach rule' when around abandoned, cluttered, dark, damp, and dank areas. Spiders can also be detected in the dark by holding a flash light at eyelevel and seeing the reflection of their eyes back at yours.