Types of Spiders

Types of Spiders Ticks, Mites and Scorpions Black widow spider The black widow spider makes its home in a variety of settings, such as woodpiles, burrows, or among plants that serve as supports for its web. The female is shiny black and usually has a reddish to yellow hourglass design on the underside of the spherical abdomen. Sometimes two small triangles, instead of a complete hourglass, are present. The male, seldom seen because it is often killed and eaten by the female after mating, hence the spider’s name. Funnel Web Funnel Web spider is named for their funnel-shaped webs, which open wide at the mouth of the tube. The spider sits in the narrow funned waiting for prey to contact the web. When this happens, the spider rushes out and captures the insect prey at the funnel’s mouth. Goliath Birdeater This spider is the king of spiders and belongs to the tarantula family. It is the largest spider in the world. Goliaths don’t usually eat birds, but they are big enough to be able to - and occasionally they do. They don’t spin webs to trap food, Goliaths do use their weaving skills in another way: to line their burrows under the forest floor. Their venom is not lethal to humans. This giant spider is a delicacy in some parts of the world. King Baboon King Baboon spider is also large in size. It is a slow growing species. The spider is often rusty brown or orange in colour. As a burrowing species, the back legs are very thick and used for digging burrows. These spiders hunt beetles, cockroaches and other spiders, although they can kill mice, lizards, snakes, and birds. Wolf Spider Wolf spiders is large and widespread group that is found throughout the world. The are named for their wolflike habit of chasing and pouncing on the prey. Most wolf spiders are dark brown, and their hairy bodies are long and brood, with stout, long legs. The are noted for their running speed and commonly occur in grass or under stones, logs, or leaf litter. They are venomous, but their bits are not considered dangerous. Spiders commonly found in India Black & white Spiny Spider Tree trunk Spider Curved Spiny Spider Spiders commonly found in India Grey wall Jumper Spider Peacock Parachute Spider Kidney Garden Spider Jumping Spider Scorpions Scorpions are members of the same class as Spiders - Arachnids. Scorpions have been around for hundreds of millions of years. Scorpions can live anywhere and are commonly found in desserts, forests and even in the Himalayan mountains. In residential areas, scorpions are mostly found in shaded locations, including under rocks, woodpiles, logs and heavy foliage. Do you think Scorpions are like Spiders? Do you know that scorpions are not insects or spiders? They are arachnids. All arachnids have eight legs. Spiders are also arachnids. But scorpions are different from spiders in some ways. Scorpions have a long pair of pincers. They also have a tail with a sting that is venomous. They have a hard outer exoskeleton. It can be brown, black, blue, yellow, and green. Hunting and Diet Scorpions typically eat insects but their All scorpions are venomous, diet can change but not always poisonous to according to the humans. Scorpions are situation. As they predators that use their survive in very harsh venom to paralyze and kill locations, where food their prey, or for is scarce, the self-defence. In some scorpion has an species, this venom is ability to slow its harmless to humans, but in metabolism to as other species, the venom little as one-third the can be life-threatening. typical rate for arthropods. Life Span Most arthropods have brief lives but scorpions are among the arthropods with the longest lifespans. In the wild, scorpions typically live for around two to ten years. In captivity, scorpions have lived for as long as 25 years. Unlike insects, scorpions produce live babies. They are good parents. After birth, the newborn scorpions ride on their mother’s back, where they remain protected until they molt for the first time. Interesting facts about Scorpions - Scorpions can slow down their metabolism when food is scarce. They can survive on only one meal each year. - Scorpions glow under an ultraviolet light. This ability to glow in the dark probably attracts insects. - Scorpions are so tough that they can be put in a freezer overnight and spring back to life next morning. Scropions - facts Scorpions Mites and Ticks Ticks and mites Ticks are capable also belong to the of spreading same group as diseases in humans spiders (they too as well as in have four pairs of animals. Among the legs and no wings). best known human They suck blood diseases from animals and transmitted by ticks humans. is tick-borne relapsing fever. Life cycle of a tick Ticks live for several years, and in the absence of a blood-meal can survive years of starvation. Both male and female ticks feed on blood. The diseased organisms are not only passed from one host to another while blood is being taken, but female ticks can also pass on certain disease agents to their offspring. How do ticks spread disease? Ticks transmit disease through the process of feeding. ● Depending on the tick species and its stage of life, preparing to feed can take from 10 minutes to 2 hours. When the tick finds a feeding spot, it grasps the skin and cuts into the surface. ● The tick then inserts its feeding tube into the flesh. Many species also secrete a cement-like substance that keeps them firmly attached during the meal. The feeding tube can have barbs which help keep the tick in place. ● Ticks can also secrete small amounts of saliva with anesthetic properties so that the animal or person can’t feel that the tick has attached itself. If the tick is in a sheltered spot, it can go unnoticed. ● A tick will suck blood slowly for several days. If the host animal has a blood borne infection, the tick will ingest the pathogens with the blood. ● After feeding, most ticks will drop off and prepare for the next life stage. At its next feeding, it can then transmit an acquired disease to the new host. Mites Mites are very small, ranging from 0.5 to 2.0 mm in length. There are thousands of species, of which many live on animals. Like ticks, they have eight legs and a body with little or no segmentation. Mites can present a serious biting nuisance to humans and animals. Many people show allergic reactions to mites or their bites. Certain mites cause a condition known as scabies. Some of the major mite pests are biting mites, scabies mites and house dust mites. .

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