Spiders are not insects. Insects have six legs, spiders have eight. They are classified in the order of arachnids, a group which also contains scorpions and mites.

All spiders produce silk, a thin, strong protein strand extruded by the spider from what are called spinnerets most commonly found on the end of the abdomen. Many species use it to trap insects in webs, although there are also many species that hunt freely. Silk can be used by spiders to aid in climbing, form smooth walls for burrows and build egg sacs, among other applications.

Did you know just how many kinds of spiders we have in Malta? Nobody really knows yet because not many people study Maltese spiders and some spiders are really tiny and hard to spot. But, experts think that there are over 400 different species! Imagine finding a different spider every day for a whole year and still have more to find. Many people are scared of spiders. Maltese spiders aren't dangerous to people, however we shouldn't pick spiders up because some of them can bite! And anyway if we try to pick a spider its legs may come off and that's not nice, is it?

www.birdlifemalta.org

http://en.wikipedia.org/

wiki/Spider