Spider facts for kids: The gross, the weird, and the wonderful
Meet the amazing world of spiders
Hiya, Patty here from Ew, Nature! — your guide to all things weird, wild, and wiggly! Today, we're talking about spiders. Eight legs, eight eyes, and way too much attitude. Some people see one and scream, but me? I lean in for a closer look. (Don't worry, I bring goggles.)
Quick Spider Facts:
Spiders have 8 legs and most have 8 eyes
There are over 45,000 spider species worldwide
Spiders are arachnids, not insects
Most spiders are harmless to humans
How do spiders make webs? Spider silk explained
You've seen a spider web, right? Beautiful and sticky. Spiders spin silk that's stronger than steel (seriously!) and use it to trap bugs, make cozy homes, and even float through the air.
Spider silk facts:
Spider silk is stronger than steel of the same thickness
Some spiders can produce up to 7 different types of silk
Each silk type has a different purpose (catching prey, building homes, traveling)
Ballooning spiders: How spiders fly
Yes, "ballooning" spiders can fly by throwing a silk line into the wind. Young spiders use this method to travel long distances. It's adorable… until a whole swarm of them rains down from the sky. Ew!
Black widow spiders: Nature's scary mom
Meet the black widow. Glossy black, red hourglass on her belly, famous for being dramatic. She's one of the most venomous spiders in North America — but don't panic! She'd rather hide than bite.
Black widow spider facts:
Found throughout North America
Easily identified by red hourglass marking on abdomen
Shy and non-aggressive despite being venomous
Builds messy, irregular cobwebs (not neat circular webs)
Female sometimes eats male after mating (this is where the "widow" name comes from)
The "widow" part? That's because she sometimes eats her mate after they fall in love. You could say she's not great at relationships. Still, her web is an engineering masterpiece — messy but deadly. Like a haunted house that actually works.
Jumping spiders: The cutest spiders you'll ever see
Not all spiders are spooky! Jumping spiders are tiny fuzzballs with giant eyes and moves. They're considered the cutest spiders by many people.
Jumping spider facts:
Can leap 50-100 times their own body length
Have excellent vision with large front-facing eyes
Don't build webs to catch prey
Hunt actively by pouncing on prey like ninjas
Over 6,000 species of jumping spiders exist worldwide
That's like you jumping over a school bus! They don't spin webs to catch prey — they just pounce like little eight-legged ninjas.
Spitting spiders: the glue gun assassins
Here's where things get REALLY weird. Spitting spiders don't bite their prey — they spit at it.
How spitting spiders hunt:
Spray venomous glue at prey from a distance
Glue comes out in a rapid zigzag pattern
Immobilizes prey instantly
Attack happens in a fraction of a second
They shoot out a venomous glue in a zigzag pattern that pins bugs to the ground like they've been attacked by a tiny hot glue gun. It happens in a fraction of a second. One moment the bug is walking around, the next it's stuck in spider spit. Gross? Yes. Effective? Also yes.
Bolas spiders: the lasso throwers
Forget webs. Bolas spiders make a single silk thread with a sticky ball on the end and swing it like a cowboy's lasso. But here's the sneaky part — they also release a smell that tricks male moths into thinking there's a lady moth nearby.
Bolas spider hunting method:
Create single silk strand with sticky droplet at the end
Swing strand like a lasso to catch prey
Release pheromones that mimic female moth scents
Primarily hunt moths at night
Named after South American bolas weapon
The moth flies in, the spider swings, and BAM. Caught. It's like fishing, but with perfume and lies.
Wolf spiders: the piggyback parents
Wolf spiders don't build webs — they hunt on the ground like little furry wolves. And the moms? They're dedicated.
Wolf spider parenting facts:
Mother carries egg sac attached to her body
When babies hatch, hundreds climb onto mother's back
Baby spiders ride on mother for protection
Found on every continent except Antarctica
Fast runners that actively hunt prey
After laying eggs, the mother carries the egg sac attached to her body. When the babies hatch, they all climb onto her back — hundreds of tiny spiders hitching a ride. If you scare her, they scatter in every direction like a spider explosion. It's sweet. It's also a total nightmare.
Tarantulas: big, hairy, and harmless (mostly)
Tarantulas look terrifying, but most are gentle giants.
Tarantula facts:
Over 900 species of tarantulas worldwide
Most are harmless to humans (venom comparable to bee sting)
Use urticating hairs as defense (flick them at predators)
Can live 10-30 years (females live much longer than males)
Popular exotic pets
Some species larger than dinner plates
Their hairs are their best defense — they flick them into a predator's face, like tiny itchy darts. Some people even keep them as pets. (Not me. I like animals that don't try to molt in my kitchen.)
Diving bell spiders: the underwater weirdos
Wait — spiders can swim? Not just swim. The diving bell spider LIVES underwater.
Diving bell spider facts:
Only spider species that lives entirely underwater
Builds silk dome filled with air bubbles
Breathes trapped air like a scuba tank
Returns to surface to refresh air supply
Found in ponds and slow-moving streams in Europe and Asia
Also called water spider
It builds a silk dome, fills it with air bubbles from the surface, and lives inside like a tiny underwater tent. It's the only spider in the world that spends its whole life submerged. Even spiders that hunt near water come up for air. Not this one. It's committed to the aquatic life.
Trapdoor spiders: the ambush experts
Imagine hiding in a secret hole all day with your door on a hinge, waiting for dinner to walk by. That's a trapdoor spider's whole deal.
Trapdoor spider hunting strategy:
Build burrows in ground with hinged silk door
Wait inside burrow for prey to walk by
Detect vibrations through door
Pop out instantly to grab prey
Some burrows can last decades
They use silk to build a perfect little lid and pop out like—Surprise!—instant bug buffet.
Why are spiders important?
Okay, so they're gross, but they're also heroes. Spiders are vital to our ecosystem and provide important pest control services.
Why we need spiders:
Eat mosquitoes, flies, and other pest insects
Natural pest control without chemicals
Help maintain balance in ecosystems
Spiders worldwide eat 400-800 million tons of prey annually
Reduce need for pesticides in gardens and farms
Spiders eat the mosquitoes, flies, and gnats that would otherwise ruin our picnics and buzz in our ears. Without them, we'd be knee-deep in pests. So next time you see one, maybe just say "thanks"… from a safe distance.
Spider safety tips for kids
Remember these spider safety rules:
Most spiders are harmless and avoid humans
Never touch or handle wild spiders
If you see a spider indoors, ask an adult to relocate it outside
Dangerous spiders (like black widows) prefer dark, undisturbed places
Wear gloves when moving items in garages, sheds, or woodpiles
Frequently asked questions about spiders
How many eyes do spiders have? Most spiders have 8 eyes, but some species have 6, 4, 2, or even no eyes at all.
Are spiders insects? No, spiders are arachnids. Insects have 6 legs and 3 body segments, while spiders have 8 legs and 2 body segments.
What do spiders eat? Spiders primarily eat insects like flies, mosquitoes, moths, and other small bugs. Some larger spiders eat small lizards, frogs, or even birds.
How long do spiders live? Most spiders live 1-2 years, but some tarantulas can live 20-30 years.
Can all spiders make webs? No! Many spiders (like jumping spiders and wolf spiders) are active hunters that don't build webs.
About Ew, Nature! Join Patty and Ash as they explore the weird, wild, and wiggly side of nature. Learning about the natural world doesn't have to be boring — sometimes it's gross, and that's what makes it awesome!
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