Insects or Bugs: What Is a Spider? (Amazing Facts)


Many people do not know whether a spider is an insect or a bug. People use the term interchangeably when referring to insects or bugs. A bug can refer to a small creature with numerous legs, but a true bug belongs to the order Hemiptera while an insect is also a small creature found in the class Insecta.

So, what is a spider? A spider is an air-breathing arthropod that belongs to the order Araneae, which are classified under the class Arachnida; therefore, they are not a bug or an insect. Spiders have four pairs of legs and only two body parts. There are over 40,000 different spiders species, and you can find them in many locations across the world except for Antarctica.

It is easy to mistake a spider to be an insect or a bug. Primarily, this is because insects and bugs share some characteristics that make people think that they are of the same class. Read on to find out more about spiders, are spiders the same as insects, and the difference between bugs and insects.

Spiders are arachnids, and they belong to the class Arachnida. Therefore, they are not bugs. True Bugs or Hemiptera belong to the order of insects. In American English, a bug refers to all insects, leading to misidentification because not all insects are true bugs. Bugs have unique characteristics that some insects lack. For instance, their wings are hard partially and clear at the tip, making it look like they have half wings.

Spiders are not bugs because they have a different body shape. Spiders only have two body parts. The first body part is known as the cephalothorax, which is ahead, and thorax fused together. The second body part is the abdomen. The abdomen is the largest part of the body, it is soft, and it does not have segments.

Spiders are carnivores, which feed on different organisms, and each species employs different tactics to hunt its food. The most common method of hunting is the use of webs. Spider webs are sticky, and if a small insect comes into contact with the web, it will get stuck. The spider will sense the vibrations from the struggling insect and will bite the insect and inject venom.

Spiders do not eat solid food. They can only consume liquid; hence, the reason they inject their prey with venom. The venom will dissolve the prey’s body from inside, and the spider will ingest the juice from the body.

Depending on the size of the spider, they can hunt prey such as flies to smaller mammals like rats. As long as the animal is smaller than the spider, it will try to hunt it down. The Tarantula found in tropical areas, can hunt and kill mice with ease. Spiders also make could prey for other insects like the Praying Mantis.

Spiders also have unique body parts. Spiders have eight legs, four on each side of the body attached to the cephalothorax. Their legs are covered with tiny hairs that are useful for communication. Spiders do not have antennae; therefore, they use the tiny hairs on their legs to pick up scents, sounds, and vibrations.

Spiders have numerous eyes; they can range between 6 and 8 eyes in a random arrangement. The eyes are a single lens and not compound eyes like insects. The eyes can also differ in size and capability. Some pairs of eyes will develop better than others. Not all species of spiders have eyes. Some spiders found in dark caves do not have eyes and rely solely on the hairs on their legs to move around and sense objects and other animals.

Spiders have two pairs of appendages attached in front of their forelegs. The first pair is known as the chelicerae. The chelicerae take the form of fangs, and venomous spiders use them to inject venom into their prey. The next pair of appendages are the pedipalps, which the spider uses to break down the food. Male spiders also use pedipalps during mating.

Most spiders produce venom except for the ones in the family Uloboridae and Holarchaeidae. These spiders do not produce any venom. In order to eat, they will cover their food with silk and regurgitate digestive enzymes. The digestive enzymes will pre-digest the captured insect into a liquid, and the spider will ingest the liquefied body.

The spiders which produce venom can use their venom to incapacitate the prey or pre-digest it. The Brazilian wandering spider is the most venomous spider on earth. It uses its venom as a hunting tool and also a defense mechanism.

If the spider feels threatened, it will bite any animal close to them to protect itself. If a venomous spider bites you, it is better to visit a hospital as soon as possible. Some bites can irritate, but some can be fatal such as a bite from the black widow spider.

Spiders do not undergo metamorphosis. Metamorphosis is the biological process that some animals go through, especially bugs. It usually starts with an egg, the egg hatches into a larva, the larva will change into a pupa or nymph, and the final stage is the pupa or nymph changing into an adult. Once the eggs hatch, the spiders will keep their body to adulthood. Young spiders will molt several times as they grow bigger until they reach maturity.

Are Spiders Insects?

As we have read above, spiders are not bugs. However, due to their small size, one can easily say that they are insects, is this correct?

Spiders are not insects; insects are hexapod invertebrates in the class Insecta, which spiders do not belong to. Spider belongs to the class Arachnida. Spiders do not have any insect characteristics. Their bodies are different, and a majority of spiders are carnivorous.

None of the species of spiders have wings, antennae, or the ability to chew their food. The most common reason why people confuse spiders to be insects is the number of legs. They see numerous legs, and they think they have spotted an insect.

Insects have three body parts, which are the head, thorax, and abdomen. The head has a pair of antennae, a pair of compound eyes, and a mouth that differs from different species. The thorax is the middle section where the legs of the insects attach.

If the insect has wings, the wings are also attached to the thorax. The last part is the abdomen, which is segmented and has the insect’s digestive and reproductive organs. Insects have eight legs, four on each side of the body. Insects use the antennae on their head to pick up signals.

Insects have two compound eyes, and each eye has thousands of lenses. The numerous lenses give insects perfect eyesight capable of seeing in the dark, and they can see prey or predators with ease. Some insects are carnivores, such the as praying mantis, which hunts and eats other insects, and some small animals like lizards. Many insects are herbivores, such as grasshoppers, who solely feed on vegetation.

Difference Between Bugs, Insects, and Spiders

The main difference between bugs, insects, and spiders is the body parts. Insects and bugs have three body parts, the head, thorax, and abdomen, while spiders have two body parts, the cephalothorax, and the abdomen. Insects and bugs have segmented abdomens while spiders do not have non-segmented abdomen.

Another difference between bugs, insects, and spiders is the number of legs. Bugs and insects have three pairs of legs, while spiders have four pairs of legs. Spiders use the tiny hairs known as cuticles, on their legs to feel, listen and smell, while insects and bugs use the antennae on their heads. Another difference is that some insects and bugs have wings while there are no spiders with wings.

Another difference is the number of eyes. Insects and bugs have a pair of eyes, with each eye containing thousands of lenses. Spiders have 6 to 8 eyes with single lenses. The eyes of a spider can vary in size depending on how fast they develop. Insects and bugs have perfect eyesight. On the other hand, spiders have poor eyesight and rely mostly on their cuticles to move and hunt prey.

Bugs and insects are not necessarily the same thing. Most of the time, people use the two words interchangeably. The major difference between true bugs and insects is the shape of the mouth. Most true bugs have a straw-shaped mouth used to suck juices from plants. Insects have mandibles, such as ants, and some have a proboscis, such as a mosquito. Interestingly some insects with bugs on their name are not true bugs, such as ladybugs and June bugs.

Finally

Many people think the word bug refers to any small insect with numerous legs. It is used mostly in casual conversations, such as explaining to a friend that there are many bugs in your home and a good number of adults think that spiders and insects. The term insect is more scientific.

Spiders are neither insects nor bugs; they are in a class of their own known as Arachnida, while insects are in the class Insecta. The easiest way to distinguish spiders from insects is the number of body parts. You can see two body parts, and the abdomen is the largest. Other numerous characteristics can differentiate insects and spiders.

Bal Kang

Bal Kang is an owner of several pets including reptiles, cats and dogs. An avid writer, who loves to share her insights into caring for pets.

Recent Posts