The most terrible spiders - the whole truth about arachnids

At the beginning of our conversation, I would immediately like to say that over the past hundred years of observation, only 13 (!) Cases of deaths from arachnid bites have been recorded. Moreover, all the victims were bitten by the most terrible spiders - black widow females. It should be noted that those killed by bites had weak immunity and poor general condition of the body.

For a healthy person, spider bites will not become fatal. Of course, individuals of some species of arachnids bite rather painfully, and the bite can hurt and itch for a long time, but, nevertheless, this does not threaten death.

Spider biology

Before starting to describe the types of the most terrible and beautiful spiders in the world, we recall that they are like animals, what is their biology. The spider squad has more than forty thousand species, of which almost three thousand can be found on the territory of the former Soviet Union. However, all these species are similar both in appearance and in body structure. They have a lot in common in lifestyle, nutrition and reproduction.

Appearance and body structure

The bodies of all spiders consist of two parts: the cephalothorax and abdomen, which are connected by a thin tube, it is also called the "stem". On the cephalothorax in front there are small processes: chelicerae and pedipalps, and on the sides, four pairs of running limbs - the legs themselves.

Chelicerae - jaw appendages on the sides of the spider's mouth, help capture the victim. Pedipalps perform the functions of taste and olfactory receptors, in sexually mature males they are also conductors of seminal fluid.

In the belly of spiders are the heart, sex glands, a spinning machine producing secretion for knitting cobwebs.

Food

All spiders are predators, the exception is haying spidereating leaves of plants. Most spiders use cobwebs to hunt insects and other animals, but some species have an ambush hunting pattern, this is one of the largest representatives of the spider kingdom.

The process of spider nutrition itself looks like this:

1. A spider injects poison into the body of a victim captured by one of the methods.
2. When the victim dies, digestive fluid is injected into her body.
3. After some time, the insides of the killed animal are digested, and the spider sucks the resulting food.

This process is called external digestion.

Growth and molting

The body of the spider is not able to stretch, therefore, throughout its life, the growing spider increases its body due to molting, after which the exoskeleton of the insect increases. A new chitinous cover in spiders appears 5-10 times during the life cycle, depending on the species.

Breeding

Spider males are much smaller in size than their girlfriends, and in many species, after mating, they are often eaten by girlfriends. Those, in turn, weave cocoons from the web, where they lay their eggs. Often a female carries such a cocoon for a long time, until the children gain enough strength for independent development.

The most interesting types of spiders

So we got to the most interesting, in this chapter we will introduce the most terrible spiders with a description of the species. However, many spiders are unusually beautiful and interesting for study and simple contemplation.

Bird-eater Goliath

Goliaths living in the tropical forests of the South American continent are able to eat small hummingbird birds, for which they are called - tarantulas.

Goliath refers to tarantulas, in Latin it is called Terafosa Blond. This is the largest known spider. The length of his body reaches nine centimeters in females, and the leg span is twenty-five.

Goliaths living in the tropical forests of the South American continent are able to eat small hummingbird birds, for which they are called tarantulas.

The smallest spiders belong to the species Patu digua, their length barely exceeds a third of a millimeter.

Peacock spider

It is hard to believe that the size of this indisputable beauty is only five millimeters. I must say that in front of such a gentleman not a lady from the spider kingdom can stand, because in addition to elegant appearance, he shows his beloved a truly charming dance. You can see it at the end of the article.

Six-eyed sand spider

it one of the most dangerous spiders in the world. According to the degree of concentration, its poison is often equated with the poison of a black widow. Sand spiders live in southern Africa, but some representatives of this genus have been noticed by biologists in South America.

A distinctive feature of this species is the crab-shaped body size and the hunting method.

Sand spiders hunt, disguised in the sand, with which they merge due to the light brown color of their body. Not only insects, but also rather large scorpions become their victims, although the body size of the spider is not at all outstanding. Females rarely exceed a half centimeter length.

Agitprop Spider

The beautiful spider also bears such names: “striped hunter”, “wasp spider”. This representative of the spider family lives even in Central Russia. By his appearance, he warns that he has a certain supply of poison and it is not safe to contact him.

Dolomedes

A notable feature of this spider is its life on the shore of the reservoir and the ability to hunt, gliding along the surface of the water. Some biologists argue that dolodemes are capable of being under water for up to forty-five minutes.

The size of a limb hunter (his second name) reaches two centimeters, but he is able to feed not only on insects, but also on tadpoles and even small fish.

Wall tegenaria

A rather rare representative of arachnids is considered one of the largest spiders in European countries. Its dimensions reach fifteen centimeters in the range of legs. Tegenaria lives in rocky caves, and old stone buildings and structures can also be fond of.

This spider does not know how to braid its prey with a cocoon, but it does not need it. The fact is that the wall tegenaria knits such a loose web that the victims literally drown, falling into it.

Tarantula

Now let's talk about the spiders, which everyone has heard not only because of their terrible beauty, but also because of their unusually sonorous names. It is, of course, a tarantula and a karakurt. Let's start with the less toxic and dangerous.

Many heard the story from the way the tarantella dance was born, which had to be danced as if to neutralize the poison, being bitten by this spider. Alas, this turned out to be just a beautiful legend.

However, the size of the tarantula, in a span of up to thirty centimeters (!), And its appearance can terrify any person who does not even suffer from arachnophobia. What are only eight of his terribly beautiful eyes!

Tarantulas do not weave the Web, but hunt at night for all who, as they say, are shorter, crawling out of their deep burrows at night to the surface.

Karakurt

The famous and most poisonous spider in the world is karakurt, or black widow. It got the second name because males practically do not survive after mating. Karakurt lives in the southern part of our country, which is especially annoying for people with the rudiments of arachnophobia, and the poison of this representative of arachnids is the strongest.

But even a black widow does not eat anything except small insects, arachnids, and a person can be bitten in case of a response to an apparent danger.

Advice! No need to fear the attack of karakurt, the main thing is to notice and go around it in time, and not try to destroy it.

Instead of a conclusion

Here they are so diverse: terrible and beautiful at the same time representatives of a huge family of arachnids. Looking at photographs with individuals of various species of spiders, one involuntarily marvels at the diversity and charm of nature. Even such seemingly dangerous creatures can be so beautiful!