The Role of the Spider in Nature

Popular culture often gave the spider a bad reputation, but much of the ire toward them is undeserved. While some spiders can be dangerous to humans, they play an important part in almost every ecosystem. Spiders are not only the romantic and dangerous figures they are made out to be in folklore, but like all creatures, they struggle to survive and take care of their young.

These marvels of evolution have carved out a very unique niche for themselves in the realm of the natural world. Though they often hide just outside of everyday life, the spider is as involved in its environment as any other creature and often proves useful to humans.

Basic Spider Facts

All school children learn that spiders are a group of animals with 8 legs and two body segments and are a subgroup of the larger class of arachnids. Their unique body features make spiders easier to recognize, but these creatures come in all shapes and sizes. The smallest are Dwarf Spiders at less than 1 millimeter in length. Inversely, Tarantulas can have bodies up to four inches long. There are several thousand species of spiders found in North America alone.

Not all spiders have six eyes or form webs, although they all have the capacity to produce silk. Their webs and other advanced hunting techniques have made them some of the most efficient hunters alive. Spiders are essential to the food chain because they keep the insect population in check.

Hunting and Eating Habits

Most spiders are carnivores that live off insects of the same size or smaller than themselves. Omnivorous spiders will also collect nectar from flowers, and there are no known herbivorous types. Since the majority of their food comes from prey, spiders are best known for their hunting.

One of the most iconic creations of any animal is the spider web. These intricate nets of silk serve as homes, nurseries, and hunting traps for the resourceful creatures. The most common type of web is the orb web. These are immediately identifiable because of their uniform pattern and spiral shape. Other less delicate webs like tangle webs just look like a grouping of threads of silk. Different types of spider produce these webs using one of two kinds of silk. Some have an adhesive quality, which traps prey, and others use fluffy fibers, which easily snags insects.

There are also several varieties of hunting spider that do not spin webs in order to gather food. The wolf spider will stalk and run down its prey much like a lion. Trapdoor spiders are one of several types of ambush spiders that hide and pounce on prey when they come near. There are even net-casting spiders that spin a web between their front legs and entangle insects they leap onto.
These expert techniques make spiders the most effective dispatchers of insects in the natural world. They are a vital link in the food chain that helps a habitat from becoming overrun with bugs.

Spiders and Humans

By and large, there is no reason for animosity between spiders and humans. For the most part, the two animals do not interact in nature. However, some people are understandably annoyed when they find one of the arachnids in their home.

Arachnophobia or the fear of spiders is a rare but often discussed condition under which sufferers experience panic attacks and extreme anxiety when they suspect the presence of a spider. In reality, few people have the phobia, but rather, a mild fear. Most of this trepidation stems from their alien appearance, their reputation as prodigious hunters, and the myths perpetuated about their bites. Few spiders bites are dangerous or will have any adverse effect of the victim. Most feel like a simple pin prick and less than 2% have venom that can cause damage or pain. There are only 5 types of spiders in the world whose bite have been linked to human fatalities and only 2 of those are found in North America. Even the poisonous spiders are rarely, if ever, aggressive toward humans. Most prefer to hide and only emerge when disturbed.

Many people try to remove these helpful arachnids from their homes, but they can actually prevent problems with pesky insects. Spiders will gladly eat mosquitoes and houseflies without ever making themselves known to homeowners. In most cases it is preferable to let them perform their vital duty to the ecosystem and avoid introducing harsh chemicals to the environment.

A Missing Link

A world without spider would have serious problems. If they were missing from the food chain, other predators could not control the rapid influx of insects. Though often misunderstood, spiders are good for the planet. They serve their purpose and add beauty to the natural world.