Spiders - Learn About Spiders

Spiders are found all over the world in all sorts of habitats from the sea shore to the dessert - on the ground, under rocks, on plants, in trees, in caves, on water.
Spiders' legs are segmented and each leg has 7 segments: a coxa (attached to the cephalothorax), trochanter, femur, patella, tibia, metatarsus, and finally a tarsus which may end in two or three small claws.
The spider's blood is pale blue due to the presence of haemocyanin dissolved in the lymph.

Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals that have two body segments, eight legs, no chewing mouth parts and no wings. They are classified in the order Araneae, one of several orders within the larger class of arachnids, a group that also contains scorpions, whip scorpions, mites, ticks, and opiliones (harvestmen). The study of spiders is called arachnology.

All spiders produce silk, a thin, strong protein strand extruded by the spider from spinnerets most commonly found on the end of the abdomen. Many species use it to trap insects in webs, although there are also many species that hunt freely. Silk can be used to aid in climbing, form smooth walls for burrows, build egg sacs, wrap prey, and temporarily hold sperm, among other applications.

All spiders except those in the families Uloboridae and Holarchaeidae, and in the suborder Mesothelae (together about 350 species) can inject venom to protect themselves or to kill prey. Only about 200 species, however, have bites that can pose health problems to humans. Many larger species' bites may be quite painful, but will not produce lasting health concerns.

Spiders are found all over the world, from the tropics to the Arctic, living underwater in silken domes they supply with air, and on the tops of mountains. In 1973, Skylab 3 took two spiders into space to test their web-spinning capabilities in zero gravity.

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National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders (Audubon Society Field Guide)

by NATIONAL AUDUBON SOCIETY

Book Description
Spiders, bugs, moths, butterflies, beetles, bees, flies, dragonflies, grasshoppers, and many other insects are detailed in more than 700 full-color photographs visually arranged by shape and color.

Amazon Price: $15.64 (as of 07/20/2008)

Firefly Encyclopedia of Insects and Spiders

Science News 11/23/2002
Beautifully illustrated ... provide a wealth of information about how these creatures interact with one another and people.

Amazon Price: $29.20 (as of 07/20/2008)

Spiders & Insects (Rock 'n Learn Series)

by Melissa Caudle, Brad Caudle

Book Description
Here's an exciting way to explore the fascinating world of spiders and insects. These catchy songs teach insect body parts, colors, life cycles, habits, living environments, and more. 30-minute audio CD comes with full-color, illustrated book. Ages 7 & up.

Amazon Price: $11.04 (as of 07/20/2008)

Janice VanCleave's Insects and Spiders: Mind-Boggling Experiments You Can Turn Into Science Fair Projects (Spectacular Science Project)

by Janice VanCleave

Excellent for science projects!, September 20, 2000
Reviewer:Panther (Fairfax, VA United States) -
I just had a science project to do, so I liked insects, then I looked at this book, and it told many projects I could do with insects! The teacher was very impressed that I did three projects for the science fair. Everyone liked my project, except for Emily, who is scared of insects all the time! This is an excellent book for projects (and extra credit)!

Amazon Price: $10.95 (as of 07/20/2008)

Spectacular Spiders

by Linda Glaser

From Scientific American Explorations
Spider's silk is one of the strongest natural materials in the world: a single strand is stronger than a thread of steel. This book tells of a day in the life of a common garden spider as she spins her gossamer web, hunts for prey and explores.

Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 07/20/2008)