There are over 3,000 species of spiders residing in North America. Most spiders, in temperate zones, only live for one year and usually die in the fall. The female may lay several egg masses in the fall before she dies and the eggs over-winter or the young hatch in a protected area in a build-ing or under rocks.
Spiders use a technique called ballooning. They spin a silk line that catches the wind. The spider soars on the air currents for long distances. They landed off the coast, 200 miles away, on ships.
Spiders belong to the Class Aarachnida, which are eight-legged arthropods that also include mites, ticks, daddy longlegs and scorpions. They also have eight eyes. They have a pair of sharp fangs that nab its victims and injects a powerful venom that quickly kills or paralyzes the victim. These good guys are not insects but belong in this section.
Most spiders either trap their prey in silken webs or actively stalk and run their prey to the ground. The trapping spider lies in wait until a victim hits the silken net and is on it in a flash, injects it and wraps it with silken thread. While these spiders do catch many pest insects, the real generalist and great hunter, is the hunting spider that does not spin a web.
