LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Spiders: Insects
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Spiders can be their own enemies. Many young spiders do not hatch or live long because they are eaten by their brothers or sisters, a habit known as cannibalism. Enemies of spiders include birds, reptiles, mice and other small mammals, and certain insects. Mud dauber wasps and other sphecids use spiders as a source of prey. The wasp family Pompilidae, commonly known as spider wasps, prey only on spiders, and some will attack large tarantulas. Parasites of spiders include ichneumon wasps and some flies.
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Spiders are predators that typically feed on living prey. They produce venom that is poisonous to their normal prey of insects, mites, and other small arthropods. Venom is injected through the hollow fangs to immobilize the prey and begin the digestion process. Spiders can only ingest liquids, so they either inject or regurgitate digestive fluids into the prey. They then suck in the digested liquid food.
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Spiders, like insects (another group of arthropods), have jointed legs and a hard external or outer skeleton. Spiders have four pair of legs, with a body divided into two regions (cephalothorax and abdomen), while insects have three pair of legs and the body divided into three regions: head, thorax, and abdomen. Spiders have no wings or antennae, but have enlarged, sharply pointed jaws called fangs (chelicerae).
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Spiders have a characteristic appearance which is easily recognized by most people. They possess eight legs which immediately separates them from insects which only have six legs. Spiders lack wings and antennae.
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Spiders are beneficial, preying on insects, so control measures should only be used in situations where they become intolerablefor instance, where black widow or other spiders pose a threat to individuals or pets. A broom or vacuum cleaner used to dislodge and move outside or crush spiders will suffice. Keeping debris and wood piles away from living quarters will aid in limiting food sources and spider havens. Spiders are often found outside under eaves and in corners of residences. By carefully manipulating a broom, one can remove the spiders and relocate them away from the house.
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Spiders, along with daddylonglegs, ticks, mites, and scorpions, belong to the class Arachnida. They are beneficial animals that feed on all sorts of arthropods, including insects. About 3,000 species of spiders are found in the United States. Spiders rarely bite people, and most species found in the world are harmless. However, some people may be allergic to a spider’s bite, and a few species of spiders are known to produce bites that may have serious medical implications for humans. Two of the more medically important types are the black widow spiders, and the brown recluse spider and its relatives.
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