Spiders: Statistics and Fast Facts

Spiders are the most well-known and common arachnids on the planet. Like all arachnids, spiders have eight legs and an exoskeleton. Aside from these features, they’re distinguishing characteristics include two body segments, no wings or antennae, and three or four pairs of eyes. There are at least 47,500 distinct spider species belonging to unique 113 families.

Perhaps the least appealing features all spiders possess are their chelicerae, or mouthparts, complete with fangs capable of injecting venom. Many spiders pose little or no threat to people due to low or nonexistent venom quantities, but there are some species — like the Brown Recluse spider and the infamous Black Widow spider — whose bites can cause serious health concerns for adults of any age.

Spiders are predatory animals, typically feeding on smaller bugs or insects like houseflies, gnats, and ants. Spiders are capable of creating a strong, flexible, adhesive materials (commonly called “silk”) that they use to subdue their prey in a variety of methods. The most common method is the spider web, a large net of silk that catches prey for the spider to eat. However, spider webs aren’t only used to secure food. Spiders also build webs and silk burrows as homes.

What Causes Spider Infestations?

Spiders typically infest properties for two major reasons: food and shelter. As mentioned above, spiders like to feed on smaller bugs and insects, so any space with bugs will likely attract spiders. Spiders also like dark, warm, and sheltered place to build their homes and lay their eggs. Basements, crawl spaces, attics, and places where clutter abounds are prime real estate for these eight-legged pests. Some spiders prefer humidity, while others prefer dry spaces.