Spiders 8

Spiders are invertebrates that have eight legs. They are not insects: they belong to a group of invertebrates called arachnids. Insects have six legs and arachnids have, you guessed it, eight legs! Some spiders make webs which can be lots of different shapes. These act as their home and help them catch their prey.  

Did you know the Australian Huntsman is the longest spider in the world – with a leg span of up to 30cm!  

Have a look at a few of the Australian species in the image gallery below:

Activities - Spiders 8

1. Get creative

ARACHNID – write an 8 line acrostic poem using these letters. 

2. Explore

Look at all the images of spiders in the gallery. Choose one spider and search the internet to find out 8 things about it.
If you really love spiders you might like to visit this website and/or download the app https://identify-spiders.com/.

3. Match the webs

Study the illustrations of spider webs above. See if you can match them to a photo.

4. Parts of a spider

Huntsman spiders are very common in Australia. What type of web do they make? (Hint: this is a trick question). Use this drawing of a hunstman to label its parts. 

5. Visit the school/ backyard garden.

Collect 8 sticks, 8 stones/rocks, 8 leaves and 8 pieces of bark from the ground. Use your objects to make a spider web on the ground. Include a spider – remember they have 8 legs and 2 body parts. Take a photo and share with your friends.