Is a Spider an Insect or Bug

I know that seeing a spider scamper across the rug really bugs me but is a spider properly classed as a bug or as an insect? Anything that tiny sure looks like it must be one or the other so exactly what the heck is that thing?

Now these small creatures may figure that my home is their home but I am of the understanding that insects, bugs, and other creepy crawly stuff belong outdoors. Some people may find them fascinating but I hate spiders and especially when they are busy creeping around my house. Which brings me back to my original question: Is that thing in my house an insect or a bug?

A spider is distinctly in a class of its own: She's an arachnid and these creatures are defined as having a body with only two parts. This is much different from the category of insects which is consisting of creatures who have 3 distinct body parts.

Another major difference between these two animal classifications is that spiders have 8 legs and an insect has only 6. Spiders also do not have antennae while most insects do.

Spiders generally have more than just 2 eyes but these are classed as simple eyes, whereas many insects have compound eyes (which are really kind of spooky). Spiders are also obviously wingless whereas many insects have wings. Although arachnids certainly do bug the heck out of me, a bug is a general term for an insect, particularly those in the classification of Heteroptera. This means that a spider is neither an insect nor a bug.

 A Spider is an Arachnid - Arachnophobia is a Fear of Spiders

What is your degree of spider fear?
1. I run shrieking from the room at the mere sight of those beasts.
2. I'll be quivering in a corner unable to move from my defenceless position.
3. I grab the nearest available broom or newspaper.
4. I can generally manage to wrestle the creature to a safer location out of doors.
5. I like spiders.
6. I am completely and totally fascinated by these tiny creatures.

If you selected 1 or 2 then you just may have arachnophobia. Personally I think that I may have a mild case of it too. When I look up to see a spider slowly spiralling downward in an attempt to land on my head I practically jump out of my skin. Where I live in the south we see some pretty big spiders. We also have the small jumping spiders as well and they can certainly scare the heck out of you when they suddenly bounce out of nowhere. I really don't think that my fear of Arachnids is an irrational one either.

Some spiders are poisonous and their bite can do some serious damage to the unlucky person who receives it. 

Thank god I am married to one of the world's greatest spider hunters. My husband is always willing to come running as soon as he hears my desperate shrieking. He is generally armed with a broom or fly swatter as well as a roll of paper towels to wipe up the aftermath of the battle. (Thank you honey I do so appreciate it.) If it were me I would release them into the wild but I just can't get close enough to capture them.

For those with a curiosity for the unusual there are vegetarian spiders out there. They though are the minority, the vast majority of the 45,700 varieties of this species are carnivores who prey largely on insects, small animals, or other spiders for the bulk of their food supply. 

If spiders were larger in size they would indeed be quite a formidable creature. They set traps (ie: their sticky silken webs) and use other techniques of deception to snare their prey. Alike other animal predators some spiders simply choose to hunt down or outrun their victims.

The smallest spider is the Samoan moss spider which is about 0.01 of an inch or 0.3 mm. The largest spider is the male Goliath bird-eating spider with a potential leg spread of 11 inches or about 28 cm. There are over 100,000 species of arachnids and this group of creatures includes not only spiders but also mites, ticks and scorpions as well. Spiders can indeed be as beautiful as they are creepy. A cute spider jewelry piece can be adorable if you choose to wear your love of arachnid with pride.

She's a pretty little thing and she knows it so show her off. For those who love these creepy crawly little creatures a spider broach or necklace can be the ideal way to show off that love. There are many styles and designs to accent arachnid ideally. It can be the perfect gift for those who love spiders and also sometimes for those who don't.

Designer arachnid jewelry pieces can truly be pretty little creatures. Delightfully charming and not afraid to show off with style. Quite realistic in look and somewhat enchanting if I might say so myself. It is also rather cute to see how others react to spotting a spider riding on your apparel. Love them or not these are a delightful collection of the arachnid family.

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