Hey there! Today, we’re going to learn about something that might make some people a little nervous: spiders! But don’t worry, by the end of this, you’ll know so much about them that they won’t seem scary at all.
Spiders have a super important job. They eat lots of small insects like mosquitoes, gnats, and house flies. Without spiders, there would be way more of these pesky bugs around!
Some people think spiders are insects, but that’s not true. Insects have six legs and three main body parts: a head, a thorax, and an abdomen. They might also have wings and antennae. Spiders, on the other hand, have eight legs and only two body parts: an abdomen and a cephalothorax, which is a head and thorax combined. Plus, spiders don’t have wings or antennae.
Spiders have different eyes than insects. Insects have compound eyes made of thousands of tiny lenses. Spiders have simple eyes with just one lens, just like us! Most spiders have eight eyes. One type of spider, the jumping spider, has excellent vision and can see almost all around its body.
Jumping spiders are amazing jumpers. They can leap up to 50 times the length of their own bodies! Imagine jumping over 12 cars in one go! They use a piece of silk called a ‘drag line’ to keep safe while jumping, so they don’t fall if they miss their target.
For beautiful webs, look for orb weaver spiders. Their webs are round like an orb. They use special body parts called ‘spinnerets’ to make silk. Some silk is sticky to catch insects, while other silk isn’t sticky, so they can walk on their webs without getting stuck.
Now that you know more about spiders, they might not seem so scary. Next time you see a spider, take a moment to watch it and learn more. You can also read books or ask questions to discover even more about these fascinating creatures!
Thanks for joining us on this spider adventure. Remember, you can always ask questions about anything you’re curious about. See you next time!
Spider Safari: Go on a mini spider safari in your backyard or local park. Take a notebook and draw any spiders you find. How many legs do they have? Can you spot any webs? Try to identify if the spider is an orb weaver by looking at its web shape. Remember to observe from a safe distance and not to touch the spiders.
Build a Spider Web: Use yarn or string to create your own spider web. You can do this between two chairs or on a piece of cardboard. Try making different patterns like an orb weaver spider. Once your web is ready, use small paper insects to see how they stick to the web. Discuss why some parts of a spider’s web are sticky and others are not.
Jumping Spider Challenge: Measure how far you can jump compared to a jumping spider. First, measure your height. Then, jump as far as you can and measure the distance. A jumping spider can jump 50 times its body length. Can you jump 50 times your height? Discuss why jumping spiders might need to jump so far.
