Trapdoor Spiders

There are over 100 different species of Trapdoor Spiders. These are probably one of the most cunning spiders on the planet. Trapdoor Spiders literally build a trapdoor from various materials and cover it will plant and soil material to make it blend into its surroundings. This spider will have a length of silk attached to the trapdoor that is quickly opens to grab a passing insect. Trapdoor Spiders can sense the preys vibrations on the ground and sometimes even lay trip wire that lets them know when a meal is near. You can check out some Trapdoor Spiders in the videos below...



This one is a big Red Trapdoor Spider... Strikes with amazing speed!



If you have any more information about Trapdoor Spiders... Leave us a comment!

Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus)

The Western Black Widow or Latrodectus hesperus is just one of the six different species of Black Widow Spiders. These spiders are often found in the western parts of the United States. The female Western Black Widow will have the classic all black body with the hourglass mark on their lower abdomen. The male of this species is about half the size of the of the female and is tan in color. These Black Widows will build strange looking webs compared to most spiders and their silk is much stronger than a lot of other spiders.
After mating some female Black Widows especially the Australia's Redback (Latrodectus hasseltii) will actually eat the male after mating! Lucky for the Western Black Widow this doesn't happen too offend in this species. You can check out the Western Black Widow in action in the video below... Just don't be an idiot and handle it like this guy...

The Spider Index Begins

Just like the Fish Index and the Snake Index this site is a place where you can find information, pictures, videos and interesting facts about every spider on the planet. If you are thinking of buying a spider you can also learn what to feed spiders, how to care for them and the tricks to handling spiders safely. Maybe you suffer from arachnophobia? Well we can't promise we will cure that, but it doesn't hurt to understand your phobia.

If you can't find what you are looking for just send us an e-mail and we will address your spider question. Thanks for visiting the Spider Index...