53 Super Interesting Facts about Spiders [Free Fact Cards]

Hey there, brave adventurer! Ready to explore the world of spiders? They are actually pretty amazing and almost like the superheroes in the bug world! So let’s scuttle into the land of 8-legged creatures and webs as we check out these interesting facts about spiders!

Have you ever wondered why a spider has 8 legs? Like why do they need 8 legs to walk? Did you know those legs are not just for walking and exploring? They actually use them for all kinds of things, like feeling their way around and even “tasting” the air!

And guess what? Spiders are really amazing artists as well. The webs they spin are not only super strong, but they are beautiful as well. Some webs are like a spiral staircases, while others look like funnels. (I bet you are looking at the nearest spider web now, checking it out!) Although spider webs are pretty, they are not just for decoration. They are actually traps for catching dinner and a much-needed tool for their survival.

Most people are pretty scared of spiders, but we should not be too worried because most spiders are not interested in biting people. In fact, they help humans by eating flies and mosquitos. Some spiders don’t even make webs. They wander around looking for a snack (mosquitos and other bugs.)

So, are you ready to discover even more fascinating facts about spiders? Then stick around as we crawl through some cool and surprising facts about spiders that will have you going wow! Don’t forget to download your spider cards below to add to your fact card collection!

Ready for more fascinating facts about other cool creatures? Check out our giraffe facts, our pig facts, and our facts about raccoons as well!

Best Facts about Spiders

1. All spiders produce silk but not all spiders make webs.
2. Some male spiders want to be eaten.
3. Spiders are arachnids, similar to scorpions and ticks. 
4. Spiders are everywhere!
5. The silk produced by spiders is incredibly versatile, used not only for webs but also for egg protection and silk “ballooning.”

6. There are approximately over 35,000 different species of spider currently known.
7. Spiders are scared of humans
8. The silk spun by spiders is incredibly strong and elastic, often used for webs and egg sacs.
9. Spiders are nearsighted.
10. Tarantulas can live for several decades, with some females reaching over 30 years.

11. The earliest evidence of spiders dates back to 130 million years ago.
12. Spiders can see what we cannot. 
13. Not All Spider Bites Are Deadly. The majority of spiders aren’t likely to bite humans.
14. Female spiders have a large appetite. In some cases, depending on the species, the female spider will eat the male spider before, during, or after copulation!
15. Before building a new web, orb-weavers and some other web-building spiders, eat their old webs to recover those proteins.

16. The peacock spider, Maratus volans, performs a dance as part of their mating ritual and it kind of looks like the YMCA.
17. Except for Antarctica, spiders live on every continent in the world.
18. Female spiders can lay up to 3,000 eggs at one time
19. Some tarantulas fling hair at predators.
20. A single strand of spider silk is five times stronger than a strand of steel of the same thickness. It is also believed that a spider web made of strands as thick as a pencil could stop an airplane in flight!

21. All spiders are predators – but hunting techniques differ between spider families
22. The red widow spider is very uncommon and is a member of the black widow family, which is highly venomous. This spider can be harmful to people.
23. Spiders have blue blood. There’s actually a scientific explanation for this though. In humans, oxygen is bound to a molecule that contains iron, this gives our blood that red color. However, in spiders, the molecule that oxygen is bound to contains copper, which gives their blood the blue color.
24. Spiders can be as small as 0.37 mm or as large as one foot in diameter.
25. Jumping spiders can jump up to 50x their own length.

26. Spiders can work together.
27. Spiders Produce Various Types of Silk.
28. Tarantulas use their urticating hairs as a defense mechanism, flicking them when threatened.
29. Spiders are unable to eat solid food.
30. Spider silk is liquid.

31. The spider’s lifespan ranges from 1 to 45 years old.
32. Spiders rank seventh in total species diversity among all orders of organisms.
33. Ants can be spiders in disguise.
34. You can check a spider’s gender by looking at its face. If they look like they look like they are wearing boxing gloves, the spider’s a male. If they are long and thin, it’s a female.
35. The Brazillian Wandering Spider has the most toxic venom of all spiders.

36. Tarantulas have become popular in the exotic pet trade.
37. Mexican red-knee tarantulas are docile creatures.
38. The female black widow spider is known for eating her mate after copulation.
39. Jumping spiders have excellent vision and can leap many times their body length.
40. Spiders molt to grow, shedding their exoskeleton and revealing a new one.

41. The venomous funnel-web spider is found in Australia and is known for its aggressive behavior and potent venom.
42. Some spiders, like the raft spider, can move on water by creating a floating platform with their legs.
43. The Costa Rican Zebra, also known as Striped-knee tarantula, is a calm but fast-moving type of spider. 
44. Most spiders shave water repellent hairs that allow them to survive short periods of time underwater.
45. Spiders are found on every continent except Antarctica.

46. Antivenin can reverse the effects of a Brazilian wandering spider bite.
47. Spiders are able to survive in space.
48. Not all spiders have eight eyes.
49. The silk-producing glands of spiders are located in their abdomen.
50. Crab spiders can change their color to match the flowers they perch on.

51. The Hobo spider bite symptoms were local redness and some pain and twitching in the leg for 12 hours before it went away.
52. A bite from a redback does pack a venomous punch, these spiders are non-aggressive and prefer to be left well alone in the back of your garden shed.
53. Daddy Longlegs are technically not spiders at all. They are a type of arachnid that is actually more closely related to scorpions.

Do you have even more interesting facts about spiders? Be sure to share them in the comments, and don’t forget to download our facts about spiders cards!