Web of Wisdom Trivia Quiz

Answer: multiple orifices

Most spiders have six spinnerets, and each one has small openings (often called "spigots") that release a liquid made of proteins from silk glands inside the spider. When this liquid leaves the spinnerets and meets the air, it hardens into thin silk threads. By moving their spinnerets in different ways, spiders can create several types of silk for things like webs, egg sacs, or safety lines.

Answer: book lungs

Air enters a spider's body through small openings called spiracles, which are usually found on the underside of the abdomen. From the spiracles, air moves into the book lungs. Book lungs are made of thin, layered sheets of tissue stacked like the pages of a book, which provides a large surface area for gas exchange. Oxygen from the air passes through these layers into the spider's blood, while carbon dioxide moves out of the blood and leaves the body through the same route.

Answer: False

Spiders have several eyes, usually eight, arranged in patterns that vary between species. The principal eyes, often the largest and located at the front, provide sharp vision and help spiders detect movement and judge distance. These eyes are especially important for hunting spiders that rely on sight to catch prey. Secondary eyes are usually smaller and located to the sides or back of the head.

They are more sensitive to light and motion and help the spider detect movement in its surroundings.

Answer: Funnel webs are not sticky.

Different spiders build different types of webs, depending on their hunting strategies and habitats. Orb weaver spiders make large, circular webs with sticky spirals to trap flying insects. These webs are suspended in the air and catch prey when it gets stuck to the sticky threads. Funnel-web spiders, on the other hand, create flat, sheet-like webs that lead to a funnel-shaped retreat where the spider hides.

Unlike orb webs, funnel webs are not sticky. Instead, they rely on their structure to entangle insects, tripping them up. Both types of webs are sensitive to vibrations, which helps the spider detect when prey is caught or moving on the web.

Answer: A small, round or slit-like opening

Spiders use specialized mouthparts called chelicerae to catch and subdue their prey. Each chelicera ends in a fang that (often) can inject venom to paralyze or kill the prey. Spiders cannot chew solid food, so their actual mouths are small openings. After injecting venom, the spider releases digestive enzymes into the prey, turning its insides into a liquid.

The spider then uses its mouth to suck up the liquefied nutrients, leaving behind only the empty exoskeleton.

Answer: A hydraulic pressure system

Jumping spiders, mostly those belonging to the family Salticidae, are able to jump remarkable distances thanks to the unique hydraulic system in their bodies. Before they leap, these spiders deliberately contract certain muscles in their cephalothorax, which increases the internal pressure of their blood, known as hemolymph.

This sudden rise in blood pressure forces the spider's legs to rapidly extend, giving them the powerful push needed for long jumps.

Answer: True

Male spiders often perform elaborate courtship rituals to avoid being mistaken for prey and eaten by females. These rituals can include specific movements, vibrations on the web, or the presentation of gifts to signal their identity and intentions. In some species, females may simply ignore or not bother eating the male because he is much smaller and not worth the effort as a meal.

Answer: Catch prey

Bolas spiders have a unique method of catching prey that sets them apart from most other spiders. Instead of spinning traditional webs, a bolas spider creates a single silk line with a sticky blob, called a bolas, at the end. The spider swings this bolas to snare flying insects, often moths, that are attracted by chemicals the spider releases to mimic the scent of female moths.

The sticky blob at the end of the silk line is made of a special, glue-like silk that quickly traps any insect it touches.

Answer: nettle-like bristles

The barbed hairs on their abdomens are called urticating hairs (though they are technically setae). When threatened, New World tarantulas use their back legs to rapidly scrub or flick these hairs off their abdomen and into the air toward a potential predator.

The urticating hairs are extremely irritating and can cause discomfort or even allergic reactions if they come into contact with skin, eyes, or the respiratory system of an attacker.

Answer: They are primarily herbivorous.

Bagheera kiplingi feeds mainly on the buds and nectar-filled leaf tips of acacia plants. These food sources are normally guarded by aggressive ants that live in a mutualistic relationship with the acacia, protecting the plant in exchange for shelter and food. Bagheera kiplingi cleverly avoids the ants and steals the nutritious plant material, though they have been known to steal some of the ant larvae to feed on.