Scientific American Investigates Spiders

As their name would tell you, trap-door spiders build burrows that double as slick traps they use to catch a tasty meal. These cunning eight-legged terrors hide at the bottom of the burrow and wait for dinner to show up at their door. Readers learn all about these spiders' feeding habits and lifestyles through exciting photographs and accessible text that will have them turning each page in anticipation! Readers see how trap-door spiders differ from other relatives in the arachnid family as they engage with a helpful graphic organizer and fact boxes that add more information about the world of trap-door spiders.

Although they're small, black widows have venom about 15 times more powerful than that of a rattlesnake! With their distinctive black bodies and red hourglass shape on their abdomens, black widows send chills down the spines of those afraid of spiders and their poisonous bites. Readers learn all about these fascinating creatures in this volume, such as where they live, what they eat, and what they use their venom for. Graphic organizers and fact boxes guide readers through the world of black widows, and full-color photographs present a close glimpse at these creepy crawlers!

Skeptical readers may not think a spider could take down and eat a bird, but this volume certainly proves it. Goliath bird-eating spiders stalk their flying prey, though--despite their name--they mostly eat insects and other easier-to-hunt victims. Vivid photographs of these creepy crawlers are featured throughout the volume, as accessible text and fact boxes guide readers to knowing all about the spiders at an age-appropriate level! Although they might cause the hair on readers' arm to rise, Goliath bird-eating spiders are harmless to humans and only bite when they're scared.

Native to Australia, funnel-web spiders are named for their funnel-shaped webs. Some animals that might find themselves in this web include beetles, cockroaches, and even frogs! This volume takes a look at these fascinating spiders, exploring how they build their funnel-shaped burrows and where they like to live. There are more than 40 kinds of funnel-web spiders, and many are extremely poisonous! Full-color photographs and exciting fact boxes guide readers in learning all about the spiders, as a graphic organizer aids visual learners' comprehension.

Giant huntsman spiders have earned their name. They are the world's largest spiders by leg span! They are unique in that they don't build webs and they hunt their prey like many other predators by catching it themselves. Through full-color photographs of these fascinating creatures and engaging text, readers explore the world of the giant huntsman to learn how and where they live, and just how large these monster creatures can grow. Age-appropriate fact boxes and a helpful graphic organizer guide readers on their spider expedition!

They're only the size of the tip of your thumb, but the bite of a brown recluse spider is full of venom! This volume is full of facts about these fierce arachnids, how they live, and what to do if you find yourself face-to-face with the fearsome brown recluse. Vivid photographs of the creatures are accompanied by age-appropriate text and fact boxes, as a graphic organizer allows readers to fully immerse themselves in learning about the spiders and their lifestyles. Readers also discover the harmful impact of climate change on these animals, and what can be done to protect their habitats.