“Bug” Of The Month: Spiders

Despite the title of the post, spiders are not bugs or insects. Spiders are arthropods with eight legs that breathe air. They are found in every part of the world except Antarctica. Spiders are predatory and have fangs that can inject venom into their prey. According to the World Spider Catalog, there are currently over 47,000 species of spiders in the world, with 3,400+ of those species living in North America. We love spiders here at Spidexx Pest Control. Here is some information about spiders that we hope you enjoy!

Anatomy

Being arthropods, spider bodies are segmented with jointed limbs. Their 8 legs each have 6 joints, making a total of 48 knees (Probably the longest version of head, shoulders, knees, and toes)! Their bodies are broken into two segments, the front being the cephalothorax, which includes their eyes, mouth, brain, stomach, and some glands – as well as eight legs. Small hairs on their legs help them to sense the surroundings through vibrations and smell. The back segment, called the abdomen, contains the spinnerets which includes the silk producing glands. Spiders have exoskeletons that they need to molt in their youth. They only will molt once, and their larger exoskeleton will regrow to protect their body.

Feeding and Digestion

Spider feeding habits can be broken into two distinct groups, depending on the presence of fangs, called cheliceral teeth. These teeth allow spiders to attack their prey and break it down to a consumable state. Spiders without these teeth are the only species that consumes food outside of the body. They do so by secreting digestive enzymes onto their prey that help break down the tissues into a digestible liquid. Their stomachs then pump the liquids to intake food in the body.

Web Building

One common misconception about spiders is that they all spin webs. All spiders produce silk, but not all spiders spin webs. Webs are built from silk created in the spinnerets, of which there are 4 glands located on the abdomen. Spiders use webs to travel, live, and trap prey. The consistency of silk varies from species to species, and different species use silk for different reasons. They consume old, no longer useful silk, which helps their bodies regenerate more.

Venomous and Dangerous Species

Of the 47,000+ species of spiders in the world, almost all of them produce venom, but only a small number of bites are dangerous to humans. Most spider venom will cause no reaction, or a slight reaction that may include redness, swelling, itching, and pain. Thanks to modern medicine and the development of anti-venom, spider bites are far less dangerous and fatal today than ever before. Some of the most dangerous species of spiders include:

• Brown Recluse Spider
• Brazilian Wandering Spider
• Redback Spider
• Black Widow Spider
• Brown Widow Spider
• Red Widow Spider
• Six Eyed Sand Spider
• Chilean Recluse Spider
• Yellow Sac Spider
• Wolf Spider

Protect Your Home From Potentially Dangerous Spider Species

Who better to call for spider control than the experts at Spidexx Pest Control? Our technicians are trained to spot dangerous species of spiders. They utilize top of the line industry treatment methods to remove them from your home. Get a quote for spider control, and keep dangerous spiders out today!

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