In a spin

Spiders can be found in most countries and all kinds of climates. They have eight legs, in most cases eight eyes, no wings and only two parts to their bodies. One of these produces silk.

Spiders run over ground and can climb plants, slide on, and live in, water. Where and how a spider lives determines how it uses its web and what kind of silk it uses to make it.

The silk comes from certain glands and spinning organs at the tip of the abdomen, which contains many tiny holes, and functions much as a sieve, through which the silk is pressed. It is in liquid form at first but immediately takes on a solid candyfloss texture when it's exposed to air.

The spider creates a many types of silk, each of which has a separate but specific function.

Spiders use the sticky kind of silk to spin webs that catch, and hold, their insect meals until they are ready for dinner. The non-sticky, stronger variety is used to secure the spokes of the wheel. And there's a different kind of silk for their cocoons.

The most common web to be found is wheel-shaped. Less common are the so-called "sheet" webs. These cover surfaces with a funnel, or dome like shape. Some spiders burrow out their webs and complete them with built-in chutes, through which their unsuspecting guests fall, straight into the spider's dining room! Quite a rare web is the airtight, bell-shaped home some spiders build, which is completely submerged in water!

Look for the Toys for you competition about spiders in our competition section!