Spiders can be very interesting creatures, so it’s not surprising that there are numerous myths surrounding them. Let’s take a look at various spider facts and see if they are true or false.
Fact 1: Spiders Have Been Around Since Before the Dinosaurs
This is true. Spiders are a very ancient species, and in previous iterations, they were not able to build webs. Instead they would hunt down their prey, similar to how wolf spiders do today.
Fact 2: Mammal Species Are More Numerous Than Spider Species
This is far from the truth. There are 44,500 spider species that have been identified so far, and only 5,400 mammals. Some estimate that we’ve only discovered about half of all the spider species out there.
Fact 3: Spiders Shed Their Exoskeleton and Replace It Several Times During Their Lifetimes
Most spider species will stop molting when they reach maturity, but there are some primitive species that continue to do so throughout their lives.
Fact 4: Spiders Do Not Have a Good Eyesight
Mostly true. Despite having eight eyes, these eyes are not very complex, so most species of spiders do not see very well. However, jumping spiders are known for their excellent eyesight, which is capable of detecting whether an organism is alive or not.
Fact 5: All Spiders Make Webs
This is false. About 50% of spiders make webs, while the rest will hunt their prey, and some will actually live underwater.
Fact 6: There Are Different Kinds of Spider Silk and They All Have Different Uses
True. Spiders are capable of making a variety of silks varying in toughness, flexibility and stickiness.
Fact 7: All Spiders Are Venomous
False. There are spiders such as those from the Uloboridae which are not. Instead, they subdue their prey by wrapping it very tightly in silk.
Fact 8: Spiders Bite People Regularly
False. Most spiders are very shy insects. They prefer to run away and avoid conflict with creatures that are larger than them, rather than go for a bite.
As we can see, spiders are complex insects that may often surprise us. However, this does not mean that we want them in the home, and some species common in house infestations, such as the black widow or the brown recluse, can deliver very dangerous bites. If you have a spider infestation in your home, and you need help to remove it, please contact us right away.