How are spiders different from other insects?

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The biggest difference here is that spiders are not insects at all. That’s surprising for a lot of people.  Usually we just think of insects as anything that is small, creepy and crawly, but insects are actually a very specific group of animals.

Spiders and insects both belong to an animal group called arthropods. Spiders belong to a group of arthropods called arachnids. That’s where the word “arachnophobia” comes from. It means “fear of spiders.” Ticks, mites, and scorpions are other types of arachnids.

Insects have bodies that are divided into 3 segments: the head, the thorax (which usually has the wings and legs) and the abdomen.  Spiders’ bodies only have 2 segments: the head and the abdomen.

Spiders also have eight legs while insects only have six.

All spiders are hunters, and will eat other tiny animals. Insects on the other hand, will eat a whole bunch of different things depending on what type of insect they are.  

What’s a Daddy Longlegs?

A daddy longlegs is neither a spider nor an insect.  It’s an arachnid, like a spider but still different.  It has eight legs, but its body only has one segment. That’s it! Just one!  It has a head (with a lot of things inside) and legs attached. Try drawing a daddy longlegs, and draw a spider next to it.  Remember how many body segments they each have.  Draw an insect next to them. How many segments for the insect?  How many legs?

What about a centipede?  It’s not an insect either.  Its body can have a lot of segments! It can have over a hundred legs!