An orchard orb weaver spider rests in the center of her web.
Daniela Duncan/Moment via Getty Images
7 distinct types of silk allow different spider species to build webs with various jobs – including to catch prey, tether themselves and protect their eggs.
A great raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius ).
Salparadis/Shutterstock
Most spiders don’t swim by choice. But they have clever tricks to survive in water when they need to.
Golden orbweaver spiders may appear in your gardens.
Samantha Nixon
We identify a few harmless spiders you’ve probably seen around the house and backyard — and a few that are best avoided.
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Funnel webs are considered one of Australia’s most fearsome spiders, but their ability to kill humans is by accident rather than design.
Is Australia really the most lethal nation on earth when it comes down to it?
The Conversation
There’s a simple reason why Australia isn’t the most lethal nation in the world.
As a generalist predator, spiders, like this Western Rough Wolf Spider, help limit the number of insects in your garden.
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Only two Australian spiders can kill you, but the rest are a pretty fascinating bunch.
Spiders such as this funnel-web (Hadronyche infensa) will only bite if threatened.
There are more than 45,000 species of spider, but only a handful are potentially dangerous to humans.