There is hardly a place in the world you can go where you won’t find spiders. They can be found at sea level and on Mt.Everest, in forests, meadows, swamps, deserts, and in caves underground.

Many people have a fear of spiders, because some types are known to be poisonous. All spiders, except two species, have poison rut this doesn’t mean that the spiders with poison glands. But this does not mean that spiders with poison glands can harm man. The poison glands in spiders are controlled by them and used in aye. For example, spiders which spin nets to catch their prey do heir poison. Those who hunt for their prey or hide in flowers Ire insects by grasping them with their fangs, kill their victims on.

Spiders, however, use their poison in self – defense. When they are trapped and escape is impossible, the poison will be used as a last resort. Very few spiders are poisonous to man. The only one in the United States that is dangerous is the black widow. Its body is about 1 centimeter long and shiny black, and it has a red hour-glass shaped mark or the underside. The bite of this spider may cause severe pain and illness. Some spiders whose bite is poisonous to man live in Australia. The large so called “deadly” tarantulas and banana spiders have never actually killer any person. They may cause one’s arm or whatever is bitten to swell greatly and to ache for a few days.

The majority of spiders are no more dangerous to man than wasp or hornets. In fact, a great many spiders won’t bite even if you hold them in your hand. So unless you know the spider is a black widow, you can feel pretty safe with one. The most amazing thing about spiders of course, is their ability to spin webs. The silk of spiders is manufactured in certain of their abdominal glands. The silk is forced through many tiny holes from the spinning organs at the tip of the abdomen. It comes out as a liquid which becomes solid on contact with the air. There are many kinds of silk, depending on the type of spider, and there is a great variety of webs, including one built underwater!