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Tarantulas give people the creeps because they have large, hairy bodies and legs. While these large spiders can take a painful bite out of a human, a tarantula's venom has a low toxicity to people.

Tarantulas move slowly on their eight hairy legs, but they are accomplished nocturnal predators. Insects are their main prey, but they also target bigger game, including frogs, toads, and mice. Tarantulas are burrowers and typically live in the ground.

There are hundreds of tarantula species found in most of the world's tropical, subtropical, and desert regions. They vary in color and behavior according to their specific environments. A tarantula doesn't use a web to trap its prey, though it may spin a trip wire to signal an alert when something approaches its burrow. These spiders grab with their legs, inject paralyzing venom, and then bite their prey with their fangs. They also secrete digestive enzymes to liquefy their victims' bodies so that they can suck them up through their strawlike mouth openings. Yum!

Tarantulas have few natural enemies, except for the parasitic pepsis wasp, which can paralyze a tarantula with its sting and lay its eggs on the spider's body. When the wasp eggs hatch, the larvae chow down on the still living tarantula. Tarantulas shed their external skeletons in a process called molting. During the process, they also replace internal organs, such as stomach lining, and can even regrow lost legs.

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Tarantulas give people the creeps because they have large, hairy bodies and legs. While these large spiders can take a painful bite out of a human, a tarantula's venom has a low toxicity to people. Tarantulas move slowly on their eight hairy legs, but they are accomplished nocturnal predators.

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Tarantulas are part of the family of spiders called Hairy Mygalomorphs. These are the spiders that, scientists believe, have been around for millions of years and have not changed much in that time! There are around 700 kinds, or species, of Tarantulas.

Tarantulas are found in the rainforests and jungles of South and Central America, in Africa and in the southern part of North America. Many Tarantulas live in burrows underground. They will either use their fangs to dig them or else take someone else's burrow-home. Even though they do not spin webs, Tarantulas use their silk to make doors or soft walls for their burrow or, in the case of tree-living tarantulas, tunnel-shaped homes in trees.

Tarantulas are nighttime hunters who will pounce on their prey. They eat insects, beetles and grasshoppers. The Goliath Bird-eating Tarantula species will eat larger prey, such as, lizards, snakes, frogs, bats and small birds.

All Tarantulas have an interesting way of defending themselves. They have hairs on their abdomen (stomachs) that have sharp little barbs, or pokey things, on them. When threatened, the spider will rub these hairs with their legs and shoot them at their predator. That would hurt!

Predators that the tarantula would be afraid of are weasels, hawks, owls, skunks and snakes. Their worst enemy is the Spider-Wasp. The female wasp will paralyze the spider by stinging it. She then digs a hole and puts the spider and an egg into it. When the egg hatches, the baby wasp will eat away at the paralyzed spider. The spider could stay buried alive for many days before the larvae hatch.

One other predator that the Tarantula must fear is ... people. Not only are they caught as pets; in some countries they are eaten, as well. They are said to have a nutty taste kind of like peanut butter! Maybe I'll stop by a 'fried spider' diner sometime - NOT!
Red-Rump Tarantulas

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Tarantulas are part of the family of spiders called Hairy Mygalomorphs. These are the spiders that, scientists believe, have been around for millions of years and have not changed much in that time! There are around 700 kinds, or species, of Tarantulas.

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Enter the Access ID and Passcode provided by your school to access Britannica School.

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Enter the Access ID and Passcode provided by your school to access Britannica School.

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Tarantula is the common name for a group of "hairy" and often very large spiders belonging to the family Theraphosidae, of which approximately 900 species have been found. Some tarantulas hunt prey in trees and some hunt on the ground. All tarantulas can make silk.

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Spider Facts for Kids

The largest spider in the world is a species of tarantula found in South America where one specimen had a leg span of over 11 inches.

Spiders don't get caught in their own webs because they have self-oiling legs.

Many people associate spiders with webs, but the truth is not all spiders spin these silk structures, which are used to catch their prey. In fact, several species of spiders use different strategies for obtaining food.

There are about 3,000 species of spiders roaming around North America, but only two in the southern and western United States can cause serious harm when accidentally disturbed - the black widow and brown recluse.

Looking for more arachnid facts for your students? Find information on spider pest control at the official NPMA website.

Black Widow Spiders

Female black widow spiders have a red hourglass shape on their backs. Males have white spots on their sides. Males only live about a year, but the female can live up to 3 years. Hungry female black widow spiders have been known to kill the male spider after mating, but that isn't always the case. Geographically, black widow spiders can be found in the Eastern, Central and Western United States.

Diet:

Black widow spiders eat other pests. Sometimes they even eat other spiders!

Habitat:

Black widow spiders tend to live in cellars and in piles of wood or trash.

Impact:

The bite of a female black widow spider can be poisonous but not deadly to humans. The male black widow spider does not bite. A black widow spider bite is pale in the middle with a red ring around it and is followed by severe cramping, weakness, sweating, headache, anxiety, itching, nausea, vomiting, difficult breathing and increased blood pressure.

Prevention:

Wear heavy gloves when moving things that have been stored for a long time.

Shake out your shoes before putting them on.

Just to be safe, stay away from spider webs.

Find information for students and teachers alike on black widow spider control at the official NPMA website.

Brown Recluse Spiders

Brown recluse spiders get their name because of their tendency to hide in corners. They are identified by the dark brown violin shaped markings on their back. Native to Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma and Mississippi, they are nocturnal pests.

Diet:

Brown recluse spiders eat other bugs like cockroaches and crickets.

Habitat:

Brown recluse spiders live in cellars and in piles of wood or trash.

Impact:

The brown recluse spider only bites to protect itself. Its bite is painful and can produce an open, ulcerating sore. The center of their bite becomes a blister surrounded by an angry-looking red ring, which is then surrounded by a white ring. A red, itchy rash usually appears in the first 24-48 hours of being bitten. Other symptoms include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting and muscle aches.

Prevention:

Don't leave clothing on the floor.

Store clothes and shoes inside plastic containers and shake them out before wearing them.

Can't find what you were looking for on PestWorld for Kids? Parents and students can get even more arachnid facts and information on brown recluse spider control at the official NPMA website.

More fun with pests

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Spider Facts for Kids: Arachnid Information for Students

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The largest spider in the world is a species of tarantula found in South America where one specimen had a leg span of over 11 inches. Spiders don't get caught in their own webs because they have self-oiling legs.

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The Barn spider is an orb-weaving nocturnal species, indigenous to North America, mostly found during late summers and throughout autumn.

Physical Description and Identification

Adults

Size: They exhibit sexual dimorphism when it comes to size as the females who are 0.47 inches to 0.62 inches (12 mm to 16 mm) long are bigger than their male counterparts that are 0.23 inches to 0.39 inches (6 mm to 10 mm).

Color: These spiders are yellow or brown, with grey or dark stripes on their legs. The lower part of their body is black with white markings.

Other characteristic features: The Barn spider has a hairy body alongside a big, round-shaped abdomen with numerous small humps.

Eggs

The egg sac made using silken thread resembles a cocoon. A single sac has hundreds of eggs within that are round or disc shaped.

Spiderlings

Though not much is known about the size of the spiderlings, they get on their own within a short span after hatching.

The Web

Being orb weavers, their webs are flat and spiral shaped, made of sticky and less sticky threads to capture prey and support the structure of the web respectively. The webs are mostly spun by the females, who take it down in the day and build a new one every evening. At night they wait in the middle of the web to attack any prey that enters it.

Are Barn Spider Poisonous and Do they Bite

They are not poisonous as their venom is said to be nontoxic to human beings. However, their bite might be equaled to a bee sting, causing redness and irritation in the affected area.

Quick Facts

Distribution

North eastern parts of the United States and Canada

Habitat

Wooden structures like rafters, barns and even on boats

Diet

Several insects like beetles, ants, moths, flies and mosquitoes

Did You Know

The Barn Spider rose to prominence in E.B. White's Charlotte's Web where it was called Charlotte A. Cavatica, the last name corresponding to its scientific name.

Like all other spiders, they too catch the prey by sensing their vibrations as these creatures have poor eyesight.

Image Credits: A4.pbase.com, Wikihow.com, Encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com, D.facdn.net, Farm6.staticflickr.com, C2.staticflickr.com

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Barn Spider Facts, Identification & Pictures

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The Barn spider is an orb-weaving nocturnal species, indigenous to North America, mostly found during late summers and throughout autumn. Size: They exhibit sexual dimorphism when it comes to size as the females who are 0.47 inches to 0.62 inches (12 mm to 16 mm) long are bigger than their male counterparts that are 0.23 inches to 0.39 inches (6 mm to 10 mm).

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Araneus cavaticus (Barn Orb-weaver Spider) - Spider Identification & Pictures

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There have been 7 confirmed sightings of Araneus cavaticus (Barn Orb-weaver Spider), with the most recent sighting submitted on September 12, 2018 by Spider ID member maebe. The detailed statistics below may not utilize the complete dataset of 7 sightings because of certain Araneus cavaticus sightings reporting incomplete data.

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(Araneus cavaticus)

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Kids.Net.Au - Dictionary > Definition: barn spider

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Kids.Net.Au - Dictionary > Definition: barn spider

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Brown Recluse Spider - Loxosceles reclusa

Description

The Violin Spider is another common name for the Brown Recluse Spider. They are well known for the look and design that features a type of violin drawing. They only have 6 sets of eyes which is interesting considering others have 8 sets of eyes.

These Spiders are less than 1 inch long. They come in all shades of brown with a medium coloration being the most common. You will also find those out there that are black, cream, or gray. This is why people are often not sure of what type of Spider they happened to see or not.

Their location also affects the type of coloration that they will feature. It is a natural way for them to be able to blend in well with their surrounding area. They need this camouflage to help them be able to successfully hide from predators. They are one of the hairy types of Spiders as well.

Behavior

The stance that the Brown Recluse Spider is able to show very good posture. The legs are also known to be all on the ground all the time. The only time when this won't happen is when they are in a posture to show assertiveness. This allows them to lift the front legs so that they can show that they aren't going to back down from the threats.

They move along at a slow pace though so if they don't feel that they have to stand up to a threat they won't. They may move back slowly though so that they can keep a good set of eyes on potential threats around them.

Habitat and Distribution

You will find the Brown Recluse Spider out there in many places. They tend to live in areas where humans haven't disturbed things for a while. This can mean your shed, your attic, and even a storage unit. They may be outdoors in wood piles or behind various items that you have placed out there but not used for quite some time.

It isn't uncommon for people in many areas to discover this type of Spider in their home due to the heat that is generated there. This will be very common during the times when the weather outdoors is going to begin to cool down.

Diet and Feeding Habits

Being able to consume a wide selection of food in their natural habitat is encouraging for the Brown Recluse Spider. They don't have to worry about finding only one time of meal around them. They are mainly going to enjoy fresh kills that get caught up in their webs.

When they get the chance to create a web for live catches they will drop down to it as soon as they can. They don't want to risk the prey breaking through the web and escaping. Some of the items they will catch include crickets and cockroaches.

Then venom is injected that they will use to help them reduce the tissue consistency of the body. They have to consume only liquid so they will allow the prey to stay there until it gets to a liquefied consistency. Then they will consume what they can, leaving the shells of their prey behind. However, they aren't opposed to eating what they find that is already dead out there.

Reproduction

There is only a certain period of time when the Brown Recluse Spider will be able to deposit her eggs. This is during the hotter periods of the year - May, June, and July. She may have hundreds of eggs at once time, but she can also hurry and mate twice during that three month span. This is very common so she will have a double batch of eggs per year.

Before mating can take place though the females have to give the males permission. They can be very particular when it comes to which one they will mate with. They will watch various activities by the males that are quite interesting. Some of the males will bring food, they will dance too. These movements can be entertaining with a variety of jumps and spins involved.

Even with him giving his best effort though it may not be enough. Researchers aren't sure why she will still choose to turn some of them away. About two months after successful mating does occur though they young will arrive. Even though there are a high number of them very few will survive more than a couple of days. Only a small percentage of them will reach the age of 1 year when they will become mature.

Venomous Bite or Danger to Humans

Many humans don't care for Spiders at all due to their appearance and their bite. The Brown Recluse Spider has been known to bite humans when they do feel threatened. Yet they aren't aggressively out there looking for people to inject their venom into. When people leave items out that these Spiders use for habitat it can be a disaster waiting to happen.

There are usually very few instances though reported of humans being bit by this particular type of Spider. Most of the time it has to do with a person putting on an article of clothing or a shoe. The Spider is in there and then they suddenly feel pressure from the person's body. This is what causes them to panic and to bite.

It is a good idea to check clothing you don't wear often before you put it on. You never know if there are such Spiders lurking. A quick check is all it takes to save you the agony of bite. However, for most people the bite is nothing serious.

They don't even realize what happened. There are a few people though that have had some serious allergic reactions. The area swelled up, they broke out, and they had to seek medical treatment.

Bite Treatment or Care

If you do know that you have been bitten by a Brown Recluse Spider you want to wash the area well. This will allow you to reduce the infected area from spreading on the outer part of the skin. Keep a close eye on the flush to see if it turns red or discolored. If such symptoms appear you need to immediately get to a doctor.

The flesh may start to decompose inside if you have a serious allergic reaction to this particular Spider. There is a type antihistamine that can help to reduce breathing problems due to swelling. The sooner they are offered the faster a person can start to recover. Antibiotics as well as pain medications are likely to be given.

Some people have allowed the destruction of red blood cells to continue for so long though that they suffer long term damage. The problems can cause the kidneys to shut down and it can also lead to the body going into a coma. Only in very rare cases has someone died from it.

If you aren't sure then you should seek treatment to be safe. This is also a good idea if you live quite a ways from the hospital. You should take the Spider with you if you are able. That will allow for positive identification to be made. If that isn't possible though medical staff can take actions to help prevent serious problems from developing as a precaution.

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The Violin Spider is another common name for the Brown Recluse Spider. They are well known for the look and design that features a type of violin drawing. They only have 6 sets of eyes which is interesting considering others have 8 sets of eyes. These Spiders are less than 1 inch long.

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Venomous brown recluses exist within a smaller range than many realize, and their existence may be threatened by climate change.

Credit: Rick Vetter

The brown recluse spider is well-known for its appearance and poisonous bite. It is the most common and widespread of the brown spiders, but it is found only in the south and central United States.

Brown recluse spiders live in a region comprising Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska. According to the entomology department at the University of California, Riverside, if you do not live in those areas, "it is highly unlikely that you have a recluse spider. It is possible but incredibly unlikely."

This map shows the range of different species of recluse spiders, including the brown recluse (reclusa, in red); Texas recluse (devia, in yellow); Big Bend recluse (blanda, in green); Apache recluse (apachea, in light blue); Arizona recluse (arizonica, in blue); and desert recluse (deserta, in purple).

Credit: University of California, Riverside

The brown recluse is part of the Loxosceles genus of spiders. Members of this group have violin-shaped markings on the top of their cephalothorax (fused head and thorax) and may be informally referred to as fiddleback or violin spiders, according to The Ohio State University Extension Entomology Department.

The brown recluse's violin marking can vary in intensity depending on the age of the spider, with mature spiders typically having dark violin shapes, according to The Ohio State University. The violin shape points toward the spider's bulbous abdomen. The violin shape is easy to misinterpret, so it is best to look at the eyes when determining if a spider is a brown recluse.

The recluse's eyes are one of its most distinctive physical characteristics. "They have six eyes, instead of eight like most spiders," said entomologist Christy Bills, invertebrate collections manager at the Natural History Museum of Utah. Other types of spiders have eight eyes arranged in rows of four. Recluses, however, have six equal-size eyes arranged in three pairs, called dyads, in a semicircle around the front of the cephalothorax.

Another distinguishing characteristic of the brown recluse spider is its uniformly colored abdomen (though the shade of brown varies from spider to spider) covered in fine hairs, which give it a velvety appearance. Their long, thin legs are also covered in fine hairs. According to the Integrated Pest Management Program at The University of California, Berkeley, the scientific name Loxosceles means "slanted legs," and refers to the fact that recluse spiders hold their legs in a slanting position when at rest. Bills also noted that the brown recluse's legs do not have spines, only fine hairs.

Ohio State University reports that the brown recluse is typically about three-eighths of an inch long and about three-sixteenths of an inch wide (about 1 centimeter long and half a centimeter wide), with males being slightly smaller than females but possessing longer legs.

According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), the taxonomy of brown recluse spiders is:

The brown recluse gets its name from its color and its "shy nature," Bills said. "Most spiders go out of their way to avoid humans, which makes sense, considering we are thousands of times larger than they are and don't have a great record of behaving politely toward them."

Brown recluses often hide in dark, secluded places, like under porches or deep in closets. The brown recluse thrives in man-made areas, and may be found under trash cans, tires, etc. It is primarily nocturnal and lays its eggs from May to July.

Brown recluse spiders get around by hitchhiking on furniture boxes and other items from infestedstructures, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. They are well adapted for establishing themselves by hitchhiking. They are long-lived, can go for many months without eating, and are adapted to the hot, dry conditions found in many structures. What's more, a female brown recluse needs to mate only once to produce eggs throughout her life, and can produce 150 or more spiderlings in a year. Thus, a single female hitchhiking into a structure is all it takes to establish an infestation. The need to inspect items before moving them in is clear.

Once established within a structure, brown recluses are often difficult to control. Though hundreds of brown recluses may be present in a house, they may not be easily observed because of their reclusive, nocturnal habits.

The brown recluse has a venomous bite, and anyone bitten should seek immediate emergency medical help, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Like most spiders, the brown recluse typically only bites when disturbed - though it is possible to inadvertently threaten them. The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Program reports that this may happen if a spider is caught in bedding or clothing.

"People react differently to bites," Bills said. According to The Integrated Pest Management Program at UC Berkeley, 90 percent of bites heal without medical attention or scarring. Reactions to a brown recluse bite vary depending on the amount of venom injected and the individual's sensitivity levels, reports The Ohio State University. Some people may experience a delayed reaction, others an immediate reaction, and others no reaction at all. Many brown recluse bites leave a small red mark that heals quickly, and the vast majority of bites do not leave scars.

For those with higher sensitivity levels, a small white blister appears at the bite site soon after the bite. The tissue may become hard. Lesions are dry, blue-gray or blue-white patches with ragged edges surrounded by redness. This color pattern has yielded the nickname "red, white and blue," and, in severe reactions, the bite site can develop a "volcano lesion," according to The Ohio State University. The damaged tissue becomes gangrenous and leaves an open wound that can be as large as a human hand. It can take eight weeks or longer for full recovery, and scars may result.

According to the NIH, symptoms of a brown recluse bite may include itching, chills, fever, nausea, sweating and a general feeling of discomfort or sickness.

After being bitten by a brown recluse spider, a 10-year-old girl in Mexico required two medical procedures to remove blackened, dead tissue from her leg.

Credit: The New England Journal of Medicine ©2013

There is no effective commercial antivenin. If you are bitten, the NIH recommends calling 911 or poison control or getting to an emergency room immediately.

The NIH says you should wash the area of the bite with soap and water, then wrap ice in a washcloth and place it on the bite area for 10 minutes. Remove the washcloth for 10 minutes, and repeat the process.

Then, go immediately to the emergency room and bring the spider, if possible, for identification purposes.

For the latest information on brown recluse spiders and other arachnids, visit:

Editor's Note: If you'd like more information on this topic, we recommend the following book:

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Brown Recluse Spiders: Facts, Bites & Symptoms

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The brown recluse spider is well-known for its appearance and poisonous bite. It is the most common and widespread of the brown spiders, but it is found only in the south and central United States. Brown recluse spiders live in a region comprising Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi, Alabama and parts of Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa and Nebraska.

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What's a Brown Recluse Spider?

The brown recluse spider is one of the few venomous spiders found in the United States (venom is a type of poison). It is part of the arachnid family, which includes not just spiders, but ticks, mites, and scorpions, too. It has long, skinny legs and is about ½ to 1 inch long overall. Its entire body is brown, except for a dark mark in the shape of a violin on its head.

Brown recluse spiders are most commonly found in midwestern and southern states of the United States, and they usually hang out in dark places. When they are outside, they like to spend time in piles of rocks, wood, or leaves.

If they come inside, brown recluse spiders will go to dark closets, attics, or basements. They aren't aggressive, and they bite only when disturbed.

What a Bite Looks and Feels Like

A person who gets bitten by a brown recluse spider may not notice anything at first or only feel a little sting at first. After about 4 to 8 hours, the sting will start to hurt a little more. It might look like a bruise or might form a blister surrounded by a bluish-purple area that turns black or brown and becomes crusty after a few days.

What You Should Do

If you ever think that you've been bitten by a brown recluse spider, tell an adult immediately. Brown recluse spider bites rarely kill people, but it's important to get medical attention as soon as you can because they can make you pretty sick. With an adult's help, wash the bite well with soap and water. You can also apply ice to the area, elevate it, and keep it still.

If it's possible, have an adult catch and bring the spider to the doctor's office with you - this is important because it can sometimes be hard to diagnose a spider bite correctly. The spider can be killed first before you bring it with you; just be sure not to squish it so much that no one can tell what it is.

What a Doctor Will Do

Doctors treat people who have been bitten by a brown recluse spider with different types of medications like antibiotics, antihistamines, or pain medicines. Rarely, a skin graft might be needed if the skin is really damaged at the area of the bite. (A skin graft is when a small amount of skin is removed from some part of the body and put in a place where skin is damaged to create new skin.)

How to Avoid Getting Bitten

The best way to avoid getting bitten by brown recluse spiders is to be careful in areas where they like to spend time. Don't play around in rock piles or woodpiles. If you are working outside in the yard in big piles of logs or leaves, wear gloves.

Be sure to shake out blankets and clothing that have been stored in the attic or the basement, or if they have been in a closet but not used for a long time.

If you keep your shoes in a mudroom or garage, shake them out before putting them on.

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The brown recluse spider is one of the few venomous spiders found in the United States (venom is a type of poison). It is part of the arachnid family, which includes not just spiders, but ticks, mites, and scorpions, too. It has long, skinny legs and is about ½ to 1 inch long overall.

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Fun facts for kids including photos and printable activity worksheets about spiders.

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Daddy long-legs spider Facts for Kids | KidzSearch.com

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The Daddy-Long-Legs Spider ( Pholcus phalangioides) is a spider of the family Pholcidae. Its legs are about 5 or 6 times the length of its body. It is often confused with the daddy long-legs, a member of the Opiliones, which are not true (real) spiders. P.

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A group of daddy long-legs of the order Opiliones.

Credit: Creative Commons | Luis Fernández García

Daddy longlegs is a term used to refer to three different types of critters, and only one of them is a spider. A common belief is that daddy longlegs spiders are the most venomous spiders in the world. However, that is an urban myth.

The term "daddy longlegs" most properly refers to an arachnid in the order Opiliones, which are also called harvestmen, according to the department of entomology, soils, and plant science at Clemson University. This outdoor arachnid typically lives under logs or rocks. Unlike spiders, it has only one pill-like body segment. It also has only two eyes, does not spin webs, and is not venomous. Wisconsin Natural Resources magazine wrote that, like the spider, it has eight very long legs that can be 30 times as long as its body.

In the Southern United States as well as some parts of Canada and the United Kingdom, the crane fly is also sometimes called a daddy longlegs, according to The Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture. This distinctive bug, with six long legs and two large wings, is not a spider, nor an arachnid, but is an insect.

Another creature often called daddy longlegs is a spider in the family Pholcidae. The common name for these creatures used to be cellar spiders, but arachnologists have started to call them "daddy longlegs spiders" because of the common confusion, reported the department of entomology at the University of California, Riverside.

These daddy longlegs have two body segments - a cephalothorax and an unsegmented abdomen. Jo-Anne Nina Sewlal, an arachnologist at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad, described the abdomen as "very prominent" and "either round or oval shaped." Like other spiders, these daddy longlegs have eight eyes, which Sewlal said are "arranged into a central pair and two clusters of three on either side of this pair."

Daddy longlegs spiders range in color from cream to brown or gray, and according to SF Bay Wildlife, some species have brown stripes on the ventral side of their body. The daddy longlegs' characteristic long, skinny legs are several times the length of its small body. Daddy longlegs spiders can range from 2 to 10 mm long, but their legs can grow up to 50 mm according to the entomology department at Pennsylvania State University. The female is slightly bigger than the male.

According to Sewlal, daddy longlegs' long legs allow them to put less of their leg in contact with their web silk, making it less likely for them to become caught in their own web. She said this is the case for most web-weaving spiders, which have longer, slenderer legs than wandering, or ambushing spiders.

Daddy longlegs spiders live on every continent except Antarctica. They prefer damp climates but can nevertheless thrive in deserts. According to the department of entomology at the University of Kentucky, they are especially successful in urban areas where they spin thin, tangled webs in ceiling corners, under furniture, in garages, barns, attics, and basements, and other places where they're unlikely to be disturbed. Daddy longlegs may be useful spiders because they can help keep the population of other insects and spiders down, according to the Queensland Museum.

The daddy longlegs spider's web does not have adhesive properties for catching prey. According to BioKIDS, insects and other spiders get trapped in the confusing, irregular web structure. Then, the daddy longlegs covers the prey with silk and administers its fatal bite.

Sewlal described two fascinating defense mechanisms of daddy longlegs spiders. She said that some neotropical species engage in an action called "whirling." She described it as when "the spider holds onto the underside of its web and swings its body in horizontal circles until it looks like a blur to the human eye. This is a defense mechanism and serves to make the spider appear bigger than it really is. This is particularly useful since they have visual predators such as birds, lizards and even other spiders like some species of jumping spiders.

"Another behavior that has a similar purpose is called 'bobbing,'" said Sewlal. Again, the spider holds onto the underside of its web, and there it "repeatedly bends and straightens its legs like it is doing squats."

Daddy longlegs spiders can mate throughout the year. According to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, like most spiders, the male squirts sperm onto the web then sucks it up into his pedipalps, a pair of sensory appendages near the mouth. It then inserts the pedipalps into the female's epigynum (external genital opening), and she carries the sperm around with her until she lays her eggs.

According to Clemson University, daddy longlegs spiders carry their egg sacs in their jaws at all times - with the exception of eating - until the eggs hatch. Then, the newly hatched babies crawl onto the mother's body for a brief stretch of time. It takes about a year for the baby spiders to develop from egg to adult. Male daddy longlegs typically live for about one year and die after mating. Females can live for three years.

According to urban legend, daddy longlegs are the most venomous spiders in the world, but their fangs are too weak to penetrate human skin. However, this myth was busted on the Discovery Channel show " Mythbusters." A daddy longlegs spider was coaxed into biting the arm of the show's co-host, Adam Savage. He reported nothing more than a very mild burning sensation from the spider's venom that lasted just a few seconds.

According to the Australian Museum, the myth may have come about because the daddy longlegs spider can kill the dangerous Australian redback spider, but that is done through its ingenious web-catching technique, not its venom.

Daddy longlegs spiders (Cellar spiders)

According to the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS), there are more than 80 genera of daddy longlegs spiders and about 1,000 species. The taxonomy of cellar spiders is:

Harvestmen

The taxonomy of harvestmen, according to ITIS, is:

There are about 6,500 species of harvestmen.

Crane flies

There are three subfamilies, more than 500 genera and more than 15,000 species of crane fly.

Additional resources

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Daddy Longlegs: Spiders & Other Critters

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Daddy longlegs is a term used to refer to three different types of critters, and only one of them is a spider. A common belief is that daddy longlegs spiders are the most venomous spiders in the world. However, that is an urban myth.

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Because of media hyperbole and anxiety-filled stories by the general public extolling the horrors associated with brown recluse spiders, people are very interested in knowing if the spiders they find are brown recluses. Although it is true that a brown recluse has a violin pattern, many non-arachnologists creatively misinterpret many markings on spiders as "violins" and feel that they have found recluse spiders.

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Fun facts for kids including photos and printable activity worksheets about spiders.

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The Daddy-Long-Legs Spider ( Pholcus phalangioides) is a spider of the family Pholcidae. Its legs are about 5 or 6 times the length of its body. It is often confused with the daddy long-legs, a member of the Opiliones, which are not true (real) spiders. P.

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Tarantulas are arachnids. Unlike insects, arachnids only have two body parts and eight legs.

They are also cold-blooded.

Cold-blooded animals are unable to regulate their internal body temperature.

They instead have to rely upon their environment to regulate their heat. If the air temperature is warm, they will be warm. If it is cold, they will be cold.

How big are tarantulas?

Tarantulas are some of the largest spiders in the world. They are covered with hairs.

These hairs help them to navigate their environment, and can even be used as a means of self-defense.

Depending on the species of tarantula, they can vary in size. They can be from 1 inch to 4 inches long, with a leg span of 3 to 10 inches.

The largest type of tarantula is called the Goliath Birdeater.

This huge spider has a 10-inch leg span and, you guessed it, eats birds! Here's a picture of the Birdeater below.

What do they eat?

Tarantulas are carnivorous. This means that they only eat meat. This mostly consists of insects, though larger tarantulas will eat mice, birds, frogs, and lizards.

Tarantulas are nocturnal. This means that they are only active during the night, and sleeping during the daytime hours.

These spiders are ambush predators. They will lie in wait or sneak up on their prey. Once they are close enough to their prey, tarantulas will bite them to poison them.

Tarantulas, just like most spiders, are venomous. They are not all dangerous to humans, however. Some tarantula bites are no worse than a bee sting, while others are quite dangers.

Most tarantulas prefer not to bite, thankfully. Some species of tarantula even make very nice pets, because they are so gentle.

Like all spiders, tarantulas also inject their prey with specialized enzymes that liquefy the insides of the prey. This allows them to "drink" their food later on.

Where do tarantulas come from?

Tarantulas come from all over the world. They can be found in North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe.

These large spiders like to live in many different climates, as long as it is warm. They can be found in deserts, forests, and jungles.

Depending on the type of tarantula, they can be found in either trees or on the ground.

If they live on the ground, they will usually live in a burrow, which they line with silk from their webbings. If they live in trees, they will usually make a tube out of their silk to live in.

Much like other arachnids, tarantulas will shed their skin every so often. This is done because they have outgrown their old exoskeleton, and need more room to grow.

How long do tarantulas live?

Tarantulas can live for a very long time. Even in the wild, it is not unheard of females that are over 30 years old.

Females lay up to 2,000 eggs at a time. They do not take care of their babies at all and, instead, leave them to fend for themselves.

Tarantulas have the ability to recover lost limbs. If they lose a leg, they can grow it back when they molt, or shed their skin.

More Animals facts.

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Tarantulas are arachnids. Unlike insects, arachnids only have two body parts and eight legs. They are also cold-blooded. Cold-blooded animals are unable to regulate their internal body temperature. They instead have to rely upon their environment to regulate their heat. If the air temperature is warm, they will be warm.

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Kids learn about the arachnid Tarantula, large harry eight legged poisonous spider.

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Black widow spiders live in warm places all over the world. They like to build their webs in safe places under something like an overturned box sitting on the ground. Often they are found under the seats of outdoor toilets. They like to be left alone, so they rarely come inside places where people live.

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Beware the Black Widow
Source: National Geograhic Photo Library
Photographer: Bates Littlehales

The Black Widow spider is the most venomous spider in North America, but only the adult female.

The female Black Widow is easy to recognize (if you care to get that close) by the red hourglass shape on the underneath part of her abdomen. She has a shiny black body with various types of red markings on the top, depending on the species. There are about five species of Black Widow spiders in North America.

The black widow will grow to about 8-10mm.

Black Widows will lay up to 400 eggs at a time, but they are known to be cannibals, which means that they will eat each other. The Black Widow has unfairly earned a bad reputation for wanting to eat her mate. She will only eat her mate when she mistakes him for a meal!

The silk of this spider is known to be the strongest of all silk. The Black Widow spider does not spin the pretty webs, instead she will spin the thick jumbles looking cobweb. These webs catch beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths and other spiders.

These spiders, although a little scary, have enemies, as well. A few wasps can sting and paralyze, before eating the Black Widow. She is also a favorite food of the Praying Mantis. Some birds will eat these spiders but could end up with an upset stomach from her poisons. The bright red markings on her belly will warn possible predators that she is a nasty meal.

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Beware the Black Widow Source: National Geograhic Photo Library Photographer: Bates Littlehales The Black Widow spider is the most venomous spider in North America, but only the adult female. The female Black Widow is easy to recognize (if you care to get that close) by the red hourglass shape on the underneath part of her abdomen.

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These are considered the most venomous spiders in North America.

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Kids learn about the habitat of the Black Widow Spider, most venomous spider in North America. Arachnid with red hour glass.

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BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species, Lycosidae: INFORMATION

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BioKIDS - Kids' Inquiry of Diverse Species

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Wolf spiders are the sprinters of the spider world. Most of the thousands of species in this family don't spin webs; instead, they chase and pounce on their insect prey like the wolves that inspire their name.

Once wolf spiders catch their prey, they either mash it up into a ball or inject venom into it, liquefying the internal organs into a wolf-spider smoothie.

All wolf spiders have eight dark eyes arranged around their heads, or cephalothorax. Two large eyes gleam from the top of the head; two more large eyes peer out the front; and four smaller eyes form a row just above the spider's mouth.

Most wolf spiders spend their time on the ground. The dark, mottled colors on their bodies help them blend in with decaying plant matter while hunting or avoiding predators. Sometimes they dig burrows or make holes under rocks or logs to live in.

Wolf spiders have figured out how to live just about anywhere. While some species are found on cold, rocky mountaintops, others live in volcanic lava tubes. From deserts to rainforests, grasslands to suburban lawns, wolf spider thrive; there's likely one nearby. One species has even been found living in wheat crops, feeding on pests such as aphids.

When it's time to mate, male wolf spiders attract females by rhythmically waving their long mouthparts (palps) or drumming them on leaves. Once mated, the female spins a round egg sac, attaches it to her abdomen and it carries around with her. The young hatch inside, then emerge and climb on mom's back until they're old enough to live on their own.

Many species are considered to have stable populations. But some, such as the desertas wolf spider of Portugal and the Kaua'i cave spider of Hawaii, are endangered.

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Wolf spiders are the sprinters of the spider world. Most of the thousands of species in this family don't spin webs; instead, they chase and pounce on their insect prey like the wolves that inspire their name.

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What are Wolf Spiders?

Wolf spiders are small spiders that live all over North America and Europe, and even as far north as the Arctic Circle. They can live in all kinds of different places, including farm fields, grasslands, and even marshes.

Wolf spiders' colors help them blend in with the ground. They're usually gray, black, or tan with brown or black markings. Wolf spiders have eight eyes, arranged in three rows. Like other spiders, they also have eight legs. The bodies of the biggest wolf spiders measure about one inch across. The female spiders are often bigger than the males.

A few types of wolf spiders make webs, but most of them build nests in the ground. Some types of wolf spiders have really strong front legs to dig out their nests.

Eating and Being Eaten

Wolf spiders get their name from the way they catch their food. Wolf spiders eat smaller insects, including other spiders. Unlike most other spiders, they don't spin webs to catch other insects. Instead, they run after their prey and jump on it, the way a wolf pounces.

Wolf spiders can run very fast to catch their prey. They have poison, or venom, in their bite to kill their prey once they catch it. But wolf spiders usually aren't dangerous to people. Although they may leave you with a nasty bite, only people who are allergic or sensitive to their poisonous venom may have a reaction.

Wolf spiders can also climb up trees to look for food and even jump into water and swim. They're also very good at seeing in the dark, and many of them hunt at night.

Some other animals also eat wolf spiders. Bigger insects like wasps and other spiders, lizards, mice, turkeys, and other birds all eat wolf spiders, if they can catch them!

Mating and Raising Babies

When two wolf spiders mate, the female spider lays eggs in a special pouch called an egg sac. She attaches the egg sac to her body and carries it around with her until the eggs hatch. Once a female's babies hatch, she carries them around on her back for two weeks or even more, until they can survive on their own.

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wolf spider facts: lesson for kids | study.com

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Wolf Spider Facts: Lesson for Kids | Study.com

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Wolf spiders are small spiders that live all over North America and Europe, and even as far north as the Arctic Circle. They can live in all kinds of different places, including farm fields, grasslands, and even marshes. Wolf spiders' colors help them blend in with the ground.

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A Wolf spider is a member of the group of spiders whose scientific name is the Lycosidae. Lycos means "wolf" in Latin. These spiders get their name from the way they hunt, which the people who named them thought was like the way wolves hunt. However, wolves hunt in packs but spiders are solitary animals.