It is said that some three-quarters of the human population is intimidated by spiders in one way or another - about 3,400 species reside in North America alone.
Spiders can generally be identified by the type of web they create though not all webs are used to capture prey. Some are used in courtship rituals while others are used to secure egg sacs. Silk is produced by specialized glands found in the abdomen of the spider that are formed of liquid protein generated within the body. This protein hardens once it is outside of the body and released through the rear of the abdomen, guided by spinnerets that allow the spider to customize its release as needed. It is not wholly uncommon for spiders of different species to share a web or a spider to steal another's prey. Other species rely on the element of surprise and bury themselves in loose soil, springing out when prey passes - injecting them with powerful subduing venom.
Whether you find yourself a curious fan of spiders or they make you recoil in fear, spiders are here to stay - scientists once reported that, on average, we humans may swallow up to two(!) spiders in our sleep during our lifetime as they make their way in the world.
There are a total of [ 122 ] Spiders in the InsectIdentification.org database. Always pay close attention to color variations and body shapes when trying to identify a species. To remove entries below, simply click on the 'X' in the red box of each respective insect.
