According to mythology, Arachne was a talented weaver from Lydia, daughter of Idmon. She was taught the art of weaving by Athena herself, but later boasted that her weavings were superior to those of the goddess. So, she challenged Athena to a weaving contest. Despite Arachne's wonderful result, Athena, enraged by her arrogance, destroyed her work. Frustrated, Arachne attempted to commit suicide, but the goddess transformed her into a tiny spider, doomed to weave endlessly.

They belong to the class Arachnida and the order Araneae.

They are not insects., as they have eight legs and their body is divided into cephalothorax and abdomen. They do not have wings. Many species weave webs to trap insects, which are their main food.

Almost all spiders are carnivorous and are considered important nature's insecticides, killing a multitude of insects, some of which are annoying or dangerous.

Spiders live in various environments such as corners of houses, trees, bushes, soil, and even sewer manholes.

The spider's web

The spider weaves its web from a viscous fluid that its body produces. On the lower part of its abdomen are special glands, the arachnoid glands, from which this fluid is secreted. When it comes into contact with air, it coagulates, forming a very thin and durable thread, five times stronger than steel.

The web is not only the spider's home, but also its main "sensory organ", as its vision and hearing are limited. Through the vibrations of the web, the spider perceives its environment.

In addition, the web serves as a trap for hunting its prey. When an insect is captured, the spider approaches it, kills it with a bite by injecting poison, wets it with digestive juices to absorb its juices, and finally eats it.

Thus, the web is essential for the spider's survival, functioning in multiple ways as a home, sensory organ, and prey trap.

Reproduction

Every autumn, the female lays hundreds of eggs. She then carefully wraps them in a protective cocoon and hides them in secluded and hidden places.

From these eggs hatch fully formed little spiders, which immediately after hatching begin to live independently, without any contact or care from their parents.

Ecology

Spiders, despite their repulsive appearance to many, are beneficial as they help control populations of harmful insects such as flies, by killing them.

Greece is considered an ideal place for the development of many species of spiders. Of these, the two most dangerous to humans are the “black widow” (Latrodectus tredecimguttatus) and the “brown recluse” (Loxosceles reclusa).

Although there are 40,000 species of spiders, only about 40 of them are considered truly dangerous to humans. Most bites are painless or cause mild symptoms.

However, if someone is bitten by a spider and experiences serious symptoms such as sweating, nausea, arrhythmia, muscle twitching, blurred vision, or difficulty breathing, they should seek medical attention immediately.

Treatment

Wear shoes and pay attention to areas where you do not have good visibility.

Use gloves when gardening or digging.

Avoid disturbing spiders that are in corners and crevices.

Shake towels, clothing, and bedding well before using them.

Maintain cleanliness in the building and surrounding area as a preventive measure.

Summer residual spraying, mainly in the exterior areas of a building to combat walking insects, is also sufficient to combat spiders.