Stephen Colbert's Spider

In August of 2008, Stephen Colbert anounced that Jason Bond, a biologist who dicovered and named a trap door spider after Neil Young, would be naming another species of tap door spider after Stephen Colbert. The official scientific name is Aptostichus stephencolberti, with the last "T" being silent, as Colbert also has a silent "T". The spider its self is found in the sand dunes from the Big Sur area to the San Francisco peninsula at Point Lobos.





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Venom Vs. Poison

Venom and poison. They are two words that are commonly used interchangeably but mean two different things. Poisons are substances that can cause damage to organisms, usually through a chemical reaction. In most usage, a poison is a substance mainly only harmful when consumed, inhaled, or absorbed through the skin. Most things normally helpful in the body, like Vitamin A, water, even blood can become poisons in too large of quantities. Organisms can be poisonous, such as a hemlock, a Komodo dragons saliva, and certain kinds of toads.
Venom on the other hand, is a substance used by animals only, and is commonly injected into another organism through fangs or stingers for hunting or defensive purposes. The main difference between venom and

(Pictured above is the sym-
bol for poison.)
poison is that and animal that is venomous actually puts the venom into an organism, while an animal that is poisonous would just have the poison always their, regardless if the organism actually poisons anything.
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Caring For a House Spider

House Spiders, (Hobo Spider, Giant House Spider, and Domestic House Spider) are fun and easy pets to take care of. Although you should be cautious if you plan to keep a Hobo Spider as a pet, the other two are completely harmless to humans and are not risky to keep. I would not recommend holding your house spider because they are very fast, and may fall off of your hand and escape. The following is a list of things to do if you are planning on keeping a House Spider as a pet.

• First off, you will want to find your pet. Sometimes, a House Spider will find you, and in that case you can skip this step. You may stumble upon one in your sink, and if so you are lucky. If you are planning to go looking for a House Spider however, the best places are in piles of wood or rarely disturbed structures, such as a shed, or garage. Once you have found your future pet, you will want to push it or scoop it up into a container with vertical and slippery sides. A glass container works best, but plastic ones can also work well. You will want to use gloves, because there is always a chance the spider you found is a Hobo Spider.
• Once you have captured you House Spider, you will want to start constructing it a suitable habitat. The size of the cage or container is really up to you, but I would recommend using no less then a large jar, because House Spiders appear to like building big webs. I would recommend using a small cage, because it has more room so you won't disturb the spider when you give it water. Also, if you have a container with corners, use it because House Spiders prefer hiding and building their webs in corners. You will want to put some kind of material along the bottom of the container. I would recommend using sand, but you are free to experiment with anything. After that, you should add in some sticks, small pieces of wood, dried up leaves, or whatever else you want. I put a stack of small wood pieces, and Housy, (my House Spider), loved it. I would highly recommend doing this, because it also gives you a base on which to put other sticks, leaves, etc. Put plenty of stuff inside the container, because House Spiders appear to favor a more cramped habitat. Once you habitat is complete, you can gently slide the spider out of its container into its final home. (The spider will not get hurt if it falls from a higher distance.)
• Once you have introduced your House Spider (I would recommend naming it by now) to its habitat, do not be surprised if it starts desperately trying to crawl out. This is natural and it will stop shortly after. Once the spider has settled down, it may not move from its spot for several days. But after about four or five days (don't be surprised if it takes longer), you may begin to see little strands of web in your cage. This is a sign that you spider is beginning to warm up to its home. House Spiders do not move much, and they may be quite slow and still throughout their life. I would say House Spiders are not the best pets for people who like to "interact" with their pets.
• Now you will want to take care of your spider's basic needs. For water purposes, you will want to use a damp sponge or paper towel. Make sure it isn't soaking, but make it nice and damp. Once you place the sponge or paper towel, all you will have to do is make sure to re-moisturize it every few days. For food, I bought tiny crickets at a pet store and dropped them into the cage. Housy immediately started grabbing them and biting them. If you do not have a pet store with small crickets, you can go looking for insects and then drop them in the cage. I would recommend not using pill bugs, also known as sow bugs, rollie-pollies, or woodlice, because Housy did not seem interested at all. You do not have to feed your spider that much, maybe five crickets every two weeks. House Spiders can go months without food or water, but its best to not starve your spider.

That is my little guide to caring for a House Spider. If you see a House Spider in you home and do not want to keep it as a pet, instead of just leaving it there, I would recommend relocating it to a more unused section of your home or in your garage. Do not put it outside, because chances are it will die out there. Always respect you pets, and if your spider seems to not be taking well to its new home, then put it back in an unused structure so it can continue to survive.

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Feeding Frenzy

Wow. I just put some small crickets into Housy's cage, and he went crazy. He was chasing down and biting any cricket he could catch. He didn't seem to like pill bugs, and ignored them when they came into his web. I think that Housy is enjoying his new home.
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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology, Camel Spiders, Solifugae, Sun Spider, Wind Scorpion, Assassin Spider, Crane Fly, Daddy Long Leg, Harvestmen, Cellar Spiders, Daddy Long Legs, Spider Named After Neil Young, Myrmekiaphila Neilyoungi, Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, Brazilian Wandering Spider, Brazilian Wandering Spiders

Brazillian Wandering Spider Revealed

The Brazilian Wandering Spiders are probably the most venomous spiders in the world. They are sometimes called Armed Spiders, or Banana Spiders. The Brazilian Wandering Spiders are a genus of spiders known as Phoneutria, which means Murderess in Greek. These spiders are called "Wandering Spiders" because they move around on the jungle floor at night, rather then stay in a web or lair. In the daytime, the spiders hide in termite mounds, under logs, and in banana plants. (Hence the name Banana Spider. There have also been reports of them being shipped of to other places with the bananas.) There are eight known species in this genus, and they are all venomous. They can be found throughout South America, particularly in Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay. Three of the species are only found in Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil. If you were to be bitten by one of these spiders, it would probably be one of the most painful bites ever. The venom is a neurotoxin, which means it targets the nerves. However, only about one third of the bites have venom. Of that, only a third of that contains more then a tiny amount of venom. Though, they are very agressive, and will attack with little disturbance. One last weird fact, scientists believe the venom of Brazilian Wandering Spiders may help to cure erectile dysfunction. Hope this has taught you about Brazilian Wandering Spiders. Keep on the look out for more animals "Revealed".
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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology, Camel Spiders, Solifugae, Sun Spider, Wind Scorpion, Assassin Spider, Crane Fly, Daddy Long Leg, Harvestmen, Cellar Spiders, Daddy Long Legs, Spider Named After Neil Young, Myrmekiaphila Neilyoungi, Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, Brazilian Wandering Spider, Brazilian Wandering Spiders

Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi

The Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi trap door spider was recently discovered and has been named after Neil Young, a musician and singer. Jason Bond, an ECU professor of biology named this spider saying, "There are rather strict rules about how you name new species. As long as these rules are followed you can give a new species just about any name you please. With regards to Neil Young, I really enjoy his music and have had a great appreciation of him as an activist for peace and justice.” In 1988, Bond discovered the spider in Jefferson Co., Alabama. It was only in 2007, that the spider was recognised as a new species. Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi lives throughout Alabama, and there is also one locality in western Florida. Bond was given a $750,000 grant to classify the spider. Bond has said that Neil Young is one of his favorite artists. As far as I know, no non-scientific name has been given to this new spider.

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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology, Camel Spiders, Solifugae, Sun Spider, Wind Scorpion, Assassin Spider, Crane Fly, Daddy Long Leg, Harvestmen, Cellar Spiders, Daddy Long Legs, Spider Named After Neil Young, Myrmekiaphila Neilyoungi,Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi

"Daddy Long Legs" Revealed

The term "Daddy Long Leg" is probably one of the most common word associated with bugs that really doesn't mean anything. When the word is used, the user is probably referring to one of these three arthropods. The trio includes: Crane Fly (Particularly the Giant Crane Fly), Havestmen (Most commonly referred to), and Cellar Spiders (Particularly Pholcus phalangioides). Now, I think it is time to "Reveal" all three.

Lets start with the Harvestmen. These arthropods are, in my opinion, the most commonly referred to when someone says "Daddy Long Leg". These creatures are commonly mistaken for spiders, because of the way they move and that they have eight legs. One of the easiest ways to tell that it is not a spider is that its abdomen and cephalothorax are nearly completely fused together, which means the Harvestmen appears to only have one body part. In a spider however, it is very easy to tell that there are two body parts. Harvestmen are not aggressive, and if provoked enough to bite will perhaps sting for a few seconds, and then have no lasting effects. Most Havestmen are omnivores, eating a variety of things. If someone or something were to break off one of the Havestmen's legs, the leg would continue moving for about two minutes. (The longest was two hours.) This occurs because there are pacemakers located in the top segment of the Havestmens legs. The pacemaker sends signals via nerves down to the muscles of the leg, causing it to move. Scientists hypothesize that this is a defensive reflex, and will keep the attacker interested in the leg, and allow the Havestmen to escape. There is also a legend that states that Harvestmen have the most deadly venom of any spider, but their fangs are to small to pierce the skin. This is incorrect because Havestmen have no venom, and their fangs do have the ability to pierce our skin. Hope this has taught you about the Havestmen, keep reading bellow for the Cellar Spider.

Now lets move on to the Pholcus phalangioides, the kind of Cellar Spider that people usually refer to. These Cellar Spiders tend to live in rotting logs, in caves, and in the basements and Cellars of peoples' houses. They can also be found in public restrooms, or honey buckets. These spiders are also the targets of an urban legend. The legend is that the Cellar Spider has the most deadly venom of any spider, but their fangs are two small to pierce our skin. (This same legend also is applied to Harvestmen, mentioned above.) This legend is untrue for both arachnids, because their fangs can pierce our skin, and the Cellar Spiders' venom has little to no effect on humans. Also, these spiders are not aggressive, and prefer to flee farther up their web then fight off the threat. Cellar Spiders are also considered beneficial, because they are known to kill and eat Black Widows. The Cellar Spider is also called the Vibrating Spider, because it is known to shake its web and itself violently, confusing potential predators and helping the spider catch other insect. Hope this has informed you about Pholcus phalangioides, also known as the Cellar Spider. Read on to find out about the Crane Fly.

Finally, we come to the Crane Fly. When most people see a Crane Fly they think "Look out, its a Giant Mosquito!". This notion is incorrect. Crane Flies do not suck peoples blood, and do not carry any deadly diseases. These giant flies are attracted to bright light, so you may see one flying close to a lamp or light. The Giant Crane Fly is the biggest fly in the world. Though this may not be known, the same myth that applies to the Harvestmen and Cellar Spider (The myth is that the Harvestmen or Cellar Spider has the most deadly venom of any spider.) also applies to the Crane Fly. This myth is incorrect because the Crane Fly has no venom, and could not pierce human flesh, because the adult Crane Flies either drink nectar, or do not feed at all. The Crane Fly is a common snack to many birds, as well as other bugs. The legs of a Crane Fly are very fragile, and may break with little contact. This allows them to sometimes get away from birds, which find them easy prey because they are poor fliers. Hope this has taught you about the Crane Fly.

That is the end to our little adventure into the world of the bugs we call "Daddy Long Legs". Keep on the look out for more animals "Revealed".
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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology, Camel Spiders, Solifugae, Sun Spider, Wind Scorpion, Assassin Spider, Crane Fly, Daddy Long Leg, Harvestmen, Cellar Spiders, Daddy Long Legs

Assassin Spider Revealed

The Assassin Spider is probably one of the weirdest spiders you will ever see. As you can see in the picture, the Assassin Spider hunts other spiders by using their extra long jaws to reach out and grab the spider, puncturing its body with sharp venomous fangs. The Assassin Spider needs a very long neck to support the jaws, and this is a clearly evolved aspect. For one thing, I am nearly 100% certain that no other spider has a neck at all. Also, the neck seems to have evolved twice, since the necks shapes and lengths change depending on the primary source of food for the spider. There used to be only two kinds of known Assassin Spiders, but recently scientists have discovered eight new species to add to the Archaeidae or Assassin Spider family. Assassin Spiders grow to a length of about an eighth of an inch, or about two milimeters. The venom of an Assassin Spider is harmless to humans, so people with Arachnophobia can rest easy knowing that this spider means no harm.

Keep on the look out for more animals "Revealed".

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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology, Camel Spiders, Solifugae, Sun Spider, Wind Scorpion, Assassin Spider

Housy Made His First Web

Today is a landmark day. Housy has finally constructed a decent web in his cage. I am hoping that he will start using it to catch the bugs I have been feeding him, which right now are pill bugs. (Also known as rolly-pollies.)
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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology, Camel Spiders, Solifugae, Sun Spider, Wind Scorpion, Assassin Spider, Crane Fly, Daddy Long Leg, Harvestmen, Cellar Spiders, Daddy Long Legs, Spider Named After Neil Young, Myrmekiaphila Neilyoungi, Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, Brazilian Wandering Spider, Brazilian Wandering Spiders

Solifugae Revealed

Solifugae, also known as Camel Spiders, Sun Spiders, and Wind Scorpions, are probably one of the most exaggerated and lied about of any arachnid.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that Solifugae are spiders, which is not true.

Another myth is that Solifugae can run 25 miles per hour. This is a huge exaggeration, and the truth is that they can only run up to 10 miles per hour. One myth that is just plain weird is that at night, the Solifugae come out and inject an anesthetic into the body, then they eat your flesh leaving a gaping wound in the morning. This myth is not true for two main reasons. The first is that do not have any kind of anesthetic venom, or any venom at all for that matter. The second reason is that Solifugae rarely attack anything larger than themselves unless threatened. If you were to get bitten by one, it would most likely be very painful, and may become infected.

This picture on the left was supposedly taken in southern Africa. It shows two Solifugae linked together, and they appear to be very large. This picture is a real picture, but it has the illusion that the Solifugae are much bigger then they really are, and was spread via e-mail. In the e-mail, the person gave an incorrect description to the picture, mentioning the weird myth above.
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I hope this has cleared up the myths surrounding Solifugae. Stay on the look out for animals "Revealed".
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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology, Camel Spiders, Solifugae, Sun Spider, Wind Scorpion

Hobo Spider Identification

The following text will give information regarding the Hobo Spider, and help you tell if the spider you find is NOT a Hobo Spider.


A Hobo Spider, or Aggressive House Spider, is a venomous spider found in the Northwest area of the United States. When it bites, it is usually because the spider has been pressed up against the skin, or has been severely provoked. If bitten, you should capture the spider for identification, and seek medical treatment, especially if the individual is an infant or elderly. The area around the bite may become red and swell, and may sometimes cause necrosis, or the death of tissue around the bite.

Hobo Spiders are very difficult to 100% identify without looking at their reproductive organs through a microscope. However, there are ways to be 80% to 90% sure if the spider you have is a Hobo Spider, and not the closely related Giant and Domestic House Spiders.

One way is to look at the underside of the spider.

If the sternum, which is the shield shaped part surrounded by legs, has spots along the outside, then it is most likely not a Hobo Spider. However, the spots may be very faint, so you should not rely only on this way.

The Spider on the left is a Giant House Spider, the right is a Hobo Spider

Another way is to look at the legs of the spider. If the legs are striped, then it is most likely not a Hobo Spider. If they are not striped, it could be a Hobo Spider, but you should probably use another method as well.

Another way is to look at the palps, or male reproductive oragans. They are located near the fangs, and resemble spheres or boxing gloves. If the palps are blunt, it coulb be a Hobo Spider. If they are sharp and thin, it is probably not a Hobo Spider. This is the least definitive in my opinion, and also hard to determine.

None of these methods will 100% indentify the spider. I would use multiple methods, and if you encouter one, just leave it be or use gloves and a jar to relocate it.

For more info on identifying Hobo Spiders, click here

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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology

New pet spider!

At about 3:00 pm, my dad and I went to our worm bin and caught a big spider to keep as a pet. I believe this is a Giant House Spider, but it also could be the closely related Hobo Spider. I have named my new pet Housy I am planning to start feeding him tomorrow. He or she managed to escape once and crawl into a shoe container before we caught him or her. (I am just going to call it a he from now on.)

I made a special habitat for him in a small cage, using twigs, sand, and small pieces of wood. I think he likes his new home and he has finally stoped trying to crawl out of it. I thought it was kind of cute when he was standing up against the plastic on his two back legs trying to get out.

This is a picture of the habitat.

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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology

Who is Kumonga?

Kumonga is a fictional monster from the Godzilla movies and is also known as Spiga. He lives on Monster Island along with Godzilla, Rodan, and other monsters. Kumonga is one of the only famous ficitonal spiders in major movies or books (aside from Shelob from LoTR). Kumonga can shoot a thick webbing from its mouth and there is also a sharp poison stinger inside. The spider is also a great jumper. Kumonga has prehensile pedipalps that can be used to grab small prey.
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Spiders, Bugs, House Spiders, Giant House Spiders, Spider Pets, Spider Identification, Spider Habitat, Insects, Entomology