Spiny-backed Orb weaver Spider

Spiders are in the phylum arthropoda, which means they are invertebrates that have an exoskeleton, a segmented body and jointed appendages. They have those scary looking jaws called chelicerae and they have fangs to bite prey with to deliver the venom that will paralyze it so the spider can wrap it up to eat later. Most arthropods have extensor muscles that contract and extend their muscles, but spiders have to use hydraulic pressure to extend their limbs. Spiders also have spinnerets on the tip of their abdomen that extrude silk to make webs with. The female Spiny Backed Orb Weaver constructs its web every single night to make sure that the web is secure. The shape of this web is the very reason why the spider is called an Orb Weaver, because it is in a circular pattern rather than a funnel shape, a sheet-like shape or a cobweb. The female usually stays by herself with the web and up to three males will each hang from a single string very close by. The web is usually close to the ground and angled specifically to catch prey such as beetles, moths, mosquitoes, and small flies. Spiny Backed Orb Weavers, like most spiders, are beneficial to humans because they prey upon many small things that we call pests and it is best to simply leave them alone and let them do their business. They are completely harmless and generally do not bite unless specifically provoked, and even if they did bite someone it won’t be anything serious.