A spider is not an insect. A spider has eight legs and two body parts. An insect has three body parts. Most spiders have eight eyes, though some have fewer.
Every kind of spider makes silk. Spiders make silk with spinnerets. Spider silk is very light. It is also strong and bends well.
Many spiders catch flies and other insects in their webs. Most spiders eat insects.
Not every spider builds a web. Some hunt for prey or wait for it. A wolf spider is a hunting spider. It does not build a web to catch prey.
A mother wolf spider has an egg sac. She carries it under her body. The spiderlings ride on her back when they hatch.
Most spiders are harmless to people. Spiders very rarely bite people. They do not seek people out to bite them. Do not touch a wild spider. If you see one, tell a grown-up.
Words to know
- silk: spider thread
- spinnerets: silk makers
- prey: food animal
- spiderlings: baby spiders
