Spiders are one of the most feared pests around the world, and that makes sense considering there are over 100 species of poisonous arachnids in the world that can easily deliver fatal bites to both humans and animals. On top of that, any creature with more than four legs is just plain creepy.
Spiders aren’t all bad, though, and they definitely have their redeeming moments; spiders help trap other insects and pests that tend to destroy gardens that homeowners work so hard to maintain. Whether the spiders you’ve seen around your home are “bros” or insect “foes,” you’ve got to admire a pest with a unique sense of humour.
Check out these 5 awesome spider videos that will change the way you look at these eight-legged insects forever:
Mass of Daddy Long Legs in a Tree by YouTube user happysmurfday.
Looks can be deceiving as what initially appears to be a pile of moss instantly transforms into a startled horde of Daddy Long Leg Spiders (Pholcus phalangioides). Thankfully, these spiders are generally harmless and are more of an annoyance, preferring to hide in dark and dry places, earning them the nickname “cellar spiders.”
Daddy Long Leg Facts:
Size: 2-10mm (body) and 50mm (legs).
Other names: carpenter spiders, vibrating spiders, cellar spiders
Interesting fact: These spiders do produce a strong neurotoxin, but their fangs are too small to puncture the skin of humans and animals.
Wolf Spider Hunts Mouse Pointer on Screen! by YouTube user Dario Passos.
Most modern computer monitors include state-of-the-art features like 1440p resolution, but this YouTube submitter’s monitor came with a feature that isn’t standard in any current computer monitor offering: a Wolf Spider (Rabidosa spp.) somehow became trapped in this monitor’s screen and decided to make the best of it by chasing the mouse cursor around the screen. Wolf spiders mainly live solitary lives, so it’s no surprise that this particular spider doesn’t have a playmate.
Wolf Spider Facts:
Size: 1-35mm
Other names: Often confused with Nursery web spiders and grass spiders
Interesting fact: Wolf Spiders carry their young on their backs in an egg sac, depending on natural camouflage to conceal a mother and its young.
Drug Effects on Spiders by YouTube user Faruk Lkubovic
Science has answered many questions about life and the universe we live in, but I don’t think very many people often wonder how spiders (or any insects for that matter) would react after being exposed to a number of pretty serious narcotic substances. The result is very interesting and serves as a reminder that drugs are very bad for pretty much every living thing.
Animal Olympians: Gymnastics by YouTube user wildvisuals
Natural selection has provided almost every creature on earth with the opportunity to adapt to its environment. In the spider world, most species of spiders use powerful neurotoxins to defend themselves, but the Golden Wheel Spider (Carparachne aureoflava) prefers to avoid confrontation and simply roll away. These spiders flip onto their sides and effectively roll down sand dunes at very impressive speeds – the equivalent of nearly 300 km/hr. in a car.
Golden Wheel Spider Facts:
Size: Up to 20mm
Other names: Wheel Spider, Dancing White Lady Spider
Interesting fact: These burrowing spiders are nocturnal and do not produce webs.
Weekend Project: Spider Rifle by YouTube user MAKE
Violence is never the answer, but when you can’t reason with certain undesirable elements (spiders) around your home, some firepower can definitely come in handy. Thankfully, YouTube video creator MAKE has provided some pretty simple schematics that anyone can use to build a rifle specifically for the purpose of getting rid of all kinds of spiders humanely.
The video shows the Spider Rifle in action while it easily neutralizes its target: a Spiny Orbweaver Spider (Gasteracantha cancriformis). The rifle is then unloaded to reveal a perfectly intact and (probably very angry) arachnid.
For obvious reasons, using a homemade Spider Rifle to remove spiders around your home may not be safe, and it’s best left to the professionals at Truly Nolen. By removing the spider from the gun, you risk the chance of being bitten by a much more harmful spider than this Spiny Orbweaver.
Orbweaver Spider Facts:
Size: 5-9mm long and 10-13mm wide
Other names: Star Spider, Spiny-backed Orbweaver, Crab-like Orbweaver Spider, Jewel Box Spider, Smiley Face Spider
Interesting fact: The Spiny Orbweaver Spider’s binominal name is literally “thorned-belly crab-shaped”