Are Spiders Insects?

Most people think a spider is an insect, but this is a common misconception. They may also call them a bug, especially when talking about the spring rush of ants, flies, and spiders. However, both terms are incorrect for these scary critters, as they’re scientifically called an arachnid.

They’re not in the bee family, certainly not on the same playing field as roaches, but they get a classification all to themselves. One thing we should clear up right away is that using the terms bug and insect is often done incorrectly. To some people, everything is a bug, regardless of which family the pest belongs to.

Folks often think that the bumblebee and wasp go in the same category, but nothing could be further from the truth. Think of how everyone calls a tissue a Kleenex when it’s just a brand and not the product. There are numerous brands of tissues out there, but people tend to focus on this one.

Getting a bit more scientific with things, you might be shocked to know that not all insects will fit into the bug category, but some bugs are insects. It’s very confusing, but to help you understand how to treat these critters, you must know that an arachnid is in a category by itself.

Why Arachnids Are Different?

First, know that an insect has an abdomen, thorax, and ahead. They have six legs altogether. On the other hand, the spider only has two body parts: the abdomen and the cephalothorax. There’s no neck on this crawling critter, and their eyes, mouth, and legs extend from their abdomen area.

Source: http://www.bio.brandeis.edu

Sensory Hairs

The legs are another significant place that you can distinguish one from the other, as a spider has eight legs while insects only have six. The spiders also have sensory hairs that grow from the abdomen, which helps them protect themselves. They’re not the only Arachnida to have these, as it also occurs in ticks, scorpions, and mites, which ironically fall into the same classification.

Web Spinning

An Arachnida is another subcategory that spiders also fit into, but none of the other critters in this group can be an arachnid. It’s very scientific and confusing, but it’s all about the ability to make beautiful webs. Any creature that falls into the Arachnida family has these spinners, but they don’t weave the entire webs as the spider.

Only the spider gets the dubious honor of making webs that are truly works of art. Speaking of web weavers, did you know that the orb weaver gets the title for making the most intrigue webs in the spider world? It’s also fascinating that since their eyesight isn’t the best, they make these webs mostly by using their sense of touch.

You can compare it to greats like Stevie Wonder who played the piano using his sense of touch and sound because he couldn’t see. Isn’t it fascinating what people, animals, and crawling critters can do to thrive and survive when one sense is lacking?

Eyes

One thing that so many people find terrifying about a spider is its big eyes. They seem to be able to spot you from across the room and watch your every move. While they appear intimidating, their peepers are not nearly as strong as other insects. Spiders have very poor vision, and in the human world they would be considered legally blind, or only have very limited sight.

Spiders have four pairs of eyes, which means a total of eight, but they don’t do them much good. Bugs and insects have complex eyes, and their ability to see is much more enhanced. So, when that spider seems to turn all eight eyes on you, it’s not because they truly comprehend what they see. They will need to use their other senses to help them verify the danger.

Antennae

Insects have an antenna that allows them to smell. This is a necessary ability to help them stay out of harm’s way. Spiders don’t have an antenna, and they can’t pick up the scent of pheromones. Insects use the smell of pheromones to communicate with each other, and it’s another part of their protection system.

However, the spider only has enhanced senses during the mating season, but they don’t have this ability at any other time. So how does the spider get around without the sense of smell and with eyes that are lackluster compared to other creatures? Well, their sense of touch helps them navigate, which comes from those tiny hairs on their body.

They can feel the slightest vibration through these hairs, and it helps them identify when prey is near. Another interesting fact is that a spider can sense the dark of night from the sunshine, and they prefer to work on their webs at dusk. How often have you got up in the morning to find a significant web on your porch that wasn’t there before? It’s because they do their best work at night. Spiders also hunt in darkness, which gives them an advantage against the prey they seek.

Complex Neurological System

Spiders are in a league of their own with their complex neurological system. Their body has many neurons that help them process what’s around them and move quickly. They want to avoid anything that could mash them, so they use their neurons and these hairs to sense things. While their eyesight may not be keen, all the senses work together to help them navigate.

No Wings

When people place a spider and insect in the same category, they miss one significant aspect. Spiders don’t have wings, and insects do. Even if the insect doesn’t fly, like the flea or ant, they still have wings. Some common critters in the insect category include:

• Moths
• Butterflies
• Beetles
• Roaches
• Flies
• Mosquitoes

Eating Habits

The spider will use their fangs, or chelicerae as it’s technically called, to attack their prey. The arachnid doesn’t eat live things unless they are hungry and near starving. Instead, they use their fangs to inject venom into the desired meal to kill it. Once dead, they will dine on their catch.

The venom liquefies the inside of the meal for the spider, and their chelicerae have a hole in it that allows them to suck the liquified meal. Insects are different as they get their nourishment from plants, blood, or consuming other insects. However, they kill their prey first before they dine. Insects have mandibles that allow them to chew their prey well, which a spider doesn’t have.

Now, all spiders have venom, but just a select few are poisonous and can hurt humans. Most spider bites feel like nothing more than a bee sting, but it usually heals without issue. Sadly, some spiders have strong enough venom to take down a grown man, such as the black widow and brown recluse.

Reproduction

The male spider must find a female to mate and lay eggs. Once they successfully mated, the female can use the sperm to create offspring. Spiders lay eggs just about anywhere they can find. The eggs hatch in about 2-3 weeks, and it’s a pretty straightforward process.

There aren’t four stages that young spiders go through like the insects, which is egg, larva, pupa, and adult. Arachnids also don’t go through metamorphosis like caterpillars and moths. Some insects go through viviparity or live births, which spiders cannot do. Spiders can lay an impressive number of eggs each time. Scientists studied various species and found that this is the common number laid for these types of spiders:

• Brown Recluse – 50
• Tarantula – 1,000
• Black Widow – 300
• Brown Widow – 150
• Cellar Spider – 60

Another interesting fact about the growth and development phase is that spiders molt. Molting is something that a spider shares with snakes. They will shed their skin as they grow and develop more significant exoskeleton to cover their new bodies. However, it’s nowhere near as complex as the insect or bug and metamorphosis, but it’s something unique to them.

Similarities Between Arachnids and Arthropods

It’s easy to see why people confuse the spider and insect, but we’ve proven that there are so many

differences. However, some similarities cannot be denied. For instance, both spiders and insects have a hard exoskeleton that protects them. Insects go through the complex stages of metamorphosis, but some will molt when they get older.

Both have segmented bodies, but the spider only has two sections, whereas the insect has three. Additionally, they shared jointed legs. Their legs can flex like yours. This joint flexibility allows them to have a great range of motion that will enable them to move quickly. However, the similarities end here, as they are diverse creatures with very different systems.

Source: Oclahomf State University

In Conclusion…

There’s no rhyme or reason why people confuse the spider with a bug or insect. Perhaps it’s similar to why folks call gorillas and chimpanzees monkeys when they’re all distinctly different. However, being close enough isn’t going to cut it for pest control.

There are very different methods used to treat insects, bugs, and spiders, and you need to identify what you’re dealing with before you can treat. We use heat treatments for bedbugs, and you wouldn’t use that on a spider. While some treatments will work for both, an intense situation with black widows or brown recluses might require a different approach. Some specific treatments target the more dangerous spiders.

If you’re having a spider issue, it warrants professional intervention, no matter what you call them. We can help you identify if the spider is poisonous to your family and how to get rid of it quickly. The garden state is home to many spiders, but one place you don’t want them to come is into your home.

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