Spiders belong to the class of arachnids which also includes scorpions, ticks and mites. None of these are actually classed as insects. Unlike insects, they have eight legs, eight eyes in most cases, no wings and only two, not three parts to their bodies.

Spiders are found in practically every kind of climate. They can run on the ground, climb plants, run on water and some even live in water.

The spider manufactures a silk, which it uses to spin its web, in certain glands found in the abdomen or belly. At the tip of the abdomen there are spinning organs with contain many tiny holes.

The silk is forced through these tiny holes. When the silk comes out, it is a liquid. As soon as it comes in contact with the air, it becomes solid. Spiders are meat-eaters, feeding on insects and other spiders which they trap in their webs.

Fact File

The ladybird is a very brightly-coloured insect. It is also a very useful insect in the garden as it will eat the aphids which eat plants and flowers.

Fact File

The scorpion is related to the spider. A scorpion has four pairs of walking legs and a pair of strong pincers which it uses to grasp its prey. It also has a long, thin, jointed tail which ends in a curved, pointed stinger. This stinger is connected to poison glands.