Spiders

Spiders are eight-legged creatures with fangs that have the ability to inject venom, however, not all spiders are poisonous and this depends on their species. Spiders come in different shades of brown and black, even though other species of spiders may come in gray or white.   Spiders belong to the class of arachnids which are invertebrates that have jointed legs and are closely related to mites and ticks.

Spiders range in sizes from .5 inches up to 12 inches across such as the famous orange and black Tarantula known to frequent Brazil and Venezuela. The most common spider species is the funnel web spider which likes to invade homes and businesses seeking food and shelter in late summer and early fall. Other common household spiders include the American House Spider and the Wolf Spider who  both love to take up residence in basements, sheds and other dark and enclosed areas.

There are different species of spiders found all over the world, however, none have been found on the continent of Antarctica.  As of 2022, over 50,000 spider species have been identified and recorded.