Spider web
Spider spinning his web
Courtesy of the EPASpider web
Courtesy of the EPA
Courtesy of the EPA
Spider web
Spider spinning his web
Courtesy of the EPADamháin alla
Spiders belong to a class of animals called Arachnida. This class of animals include spiders, scorpions, mites and harvestmen (daddy long-legs).
Harvestmen, or daddy long-legs, are very common in Ireland. Their have long, spindly legs give them their common name. Unlike true spiders, they do not spin webs.
Stories about the dangerous black widow and the brown recluse spiders have made some people afraid of spiders, but most of them really are harmless creatures.
Spiders all have eight legs, and most of them have eight eyes as well. Some spiders may have six or less eyes.
They like to live in buildings, hiding in corners or under the floorboards. They eat smaller insects, such as flies, and most spiders will spin a web to catch their prey.
Spider on its web
Spider sitting on its web
Courtesy of the EPASpider on its web
Courtesy of the EPA
Courtesy of the EPA
Spider on its web
Spider sitting on its web
Courtesy of the EPA
Have you ever seen a spider spinning its web?
The garden spider, which is found in Ireland, weaves a flat, wheel-shaped web.
The spider produces a silky liquid which comes out through a part called the 'spinnerets'. This hardens when it comes in contact with air and so the spider makes a silken thread. Although it uses this to spin a very complicated web, it also uses it to make small sacs for its eggs.
Over her lifetime, a female spider can produce up to 3,000 eggs.