Spiders may appear somewhat frightening, leading to a mix of admiration and aversion among people. Not only that, but spiders are also mysterious predators. Below are some fascinating facts about spiders.
1. Spiders cannot consume solid food. Due to their unique digestive system, spiders are unable to eat solid food. Instead, they inject saliva into their prey, dissolving its soft tissues, and then suck up the nutrients.
Spiders can live in water.
2. Spider blood turns blue when it comes into contact with oxygen. Spider blood contains a high level of hemocyanin, which is copper-based, causing it to turn a deep blue when it interacts with oxygen in the air.
3. Spiders can control their blood pressure to aid in jumping. Spiders have one of the most unusual methods of movement in the animal kingdom, as they use not only muscle contractions but also blood pressure control to facilitate movement. Specifically, when they want to jump, spiders increase the hemolymph pressure in their legs to boost pressure at their joints, allowing them to leap.
4. Spiders do not have a backbone. Instead of a spine, spiders possess a hard exoskeleton that encases their organs and blood vessels.
5. Spiders can eat their own silk and recycle it into new threads. If the old silk is not too dirty, the spider will consume it and regenerate completely new silk.
6. Some spiders can live in water. Thanks to a soft fur that surrounds their bodies, certain spider species can create “diving bell” webs that allow them to survive underwater.
7. Antarctica has no spiders. The extreme cold climate of Antarctica would be lethal for spiders, as they cannot perform metabolic processes in such conditions.
8. Some spiders are herbivorous. The Kipling spider is unique in the spider world as its primary diet consists of acacia buds. However, this species may occasionally consume larvae from other species.
