Untitled Document
 Did
you know that spiders started living on Earth over 400 million years
ago? They were some of the first creatures to live on land.
They are from the Arachnid family. Scorpions, mites and ticks are also Arachnids.
Many people think that spiders are insects. But they are not!
Insects have three main body parts and six legs. And insects most
likely have wings to fly. However, spiders have two body parts - the
thorax and the abdomen. And they have eight
legs. Also, they cannot fly.
Spiders are best known for their ability to spin webs. But
did you know that they make three different kinds of web material? Spiders have three
pairs of "spinnerets" at the tip of their abdomen.
These spinnerets produce fluids that are high in protein. When the spider
releases this fluid, it hardens and becomes silk.
A spider produces different silk thread to make a cocoon or to bind its prey. Spiders also use a
special light silk thread to make balloons. These balloons
help them float in the air and travel
long distances.
 The spider's
web is used mainly to catch prey. Spiders mostly eat insects. But some
larger spiders also eat mammals, snakes, and birds.
They even eat each other!
Spiders vary in size. The smallest
spider is called the Anapid. It has a body the size of a pinhead. The largest of spiders
is the Goliath Tarantula. It is so big that its legs can span the size of a large
plate!
The smaller spiders tend to live from about one
to two years. But some of the larger spiders can live up to 20 years! |
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