Fact Sheet

General Information:

Spiders are beneficial predators that eat flies, grasshoppers, crickets, mites and small arthropods. Some spiders use webs to ensnare their prey, others are active hunters, some are passive and lay in wait rather than searching for it. Venom is injected through their hollow fangs to immobilize prey and begin the digestive process. Spiders can only ingest liquids so they either inject or regurgitate digestive fluid into their prey and then they suck up the digestive liquid food.

The vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans. Their venom of most species is not very toxic to humans, usually only resulting in a slight swelling, inflammation of itching sensation.

Description:

Spiders are not insects. They have eight legs instead of six and only two body regions instead of three that insects have. Young spiderlings resemble adults except for size and coloration. Spiders come in many shapes and sizes.

Life Cycle:

Spiders lay eggs within a silken egg sac that is often round and either hidden in a web, affixed to a surface or carried by the female. Different species have different life cycles. Spiders grow by shedding (molting) usually four to twelve times before maturity. Some spider species live more than 20 years, others live only one season.