what are sun spiders and where do they live and eat?
816827
Solifugae\n \nScientific classification \nKingdom: Animalia\n \nPhylum: Arthropoda\n \nClass: Arachnida\n \nOrder: Solifugae\nSundevall, 1833 \n \nThe order Solifugae is a group of arachnids, containing around 900 species. The name derives from Latin, and means those that flee from the sun. The order is also known by the names Solpugida, Solpugides, Solpugae, Galeodea and Mycetophorae. Their common names include camel spider, wind scorpion, sun spider.\n\nSolifugae are not true spiders (which are from a different order, Araneae). Like scorpions and harvestmen, they belong to a distinct arachnid order.\n\nMost Solifugae live in tropical or semitropical regions where they inhabit warm and arid habitats, but some species have been known to live in grassland or forest habitats. The most distinctive feature of Solifugae is their large chelicerae. Each of the two chelicerae are composed of two articles forming a powerful pincer; each article bears a variable number of teeth. Males in all families but Eremobatidae possess a flagellum on the basal article of the chelicera. Solifugae also have long pedipalps, which function as sense organs similar to insects' antennae and give the appearance of the two extra legs. Pedipalps terminate in eversible adhesive organs.\n\nSolifugae are carnivorous or omnivorous, with most species feeding on termites, darkling beetles, and other small arthropods; however, solifugae have been videotaped consuming larger prey such as lizards [1]. Prey is located with the pedipalps and killed and cut into pieces by the chelicerae. The prey is then liquefied and the liquid ingested through the pharynx.\n\nReproduction can involve direct or indirect sperm transfer; when indirect, the male emits a spermatophore on the ground and then inserts it with his chelicerae in the female's genital pore.\n\nAs indicated by their name, Solifugae are mostly nocturnal, and seek shade during the day. It was this behaviour which led coalition soldiers in the 2003 invasion of Iraq to think these arachnids were attacking them. In reality, they were merely moving toward the newly available shade provided by the soldiers' presence. The absence of shade sends them away.
359441
They are found in the tropical regions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans.  They hang out at a depth of about 500 to 600 meters during the day and 15 to 100 meters at night.  Lanternfish eat copepods (small invertebrates with big eyes and long antennae) and amphipods (like shrimp).
902800
There are probably a lot of spiders that would fit\nyour description. More information is needed, such\nas where (geographically) the spider was seen, in\nwhat kind of habitat and at what time of year.  The\nvarious other answers mostly mention the garden\nor writing spider (Argiope), but it might qualify as\na large spider, depending on what you consider\nlarge.  Another eastern U.S. spider that sometimes\nhas a bright yellow mark and is smaller is another\nof the orb spiders, Verrucosa, which has a triangular abdomen and gets about a half inch long\nin body length.
802270
Depends how fast someone steps on it.\nMost araneomorph spiders (orb weavers, huntsman, etc.) live from one to three years. Mygalomorph spiders (trapdoors, tarantulas) are generally much longer lived. Some large tarantulas species (Theraphosidae) take six to eight years to mature and live 20 years or more. A long life and continuing moulting and growth allows some of these species to grow very large - the legs of a large goliath spider (Theraphosa blondi) may almost span a dinner plate. \n\nFemale spiders generally live longer than males, this difference being especially notable in long-lived spiders like mygalomorph spiders - e.g., male funnelwebs mature in two to three years and then die about nine months later; whereas females mature in three to four years but may live for many years (six or more) after that\n\n\nHere is more info on the spider and a very interesting site about spiders.  Take a look at it you'll love it.\n\nSpiders are ancient animals with a history going back many millions of years. They have always been with us, an ancient source of fear and fascination. They are abundant and widespread and are natural controllers of insect populations. Wherever you live, you're always close to a spider. \n\n\nSpiders grow by periodically shedding their semi-rigid external 'skin' or cuticle of semi-rigid chitin and replacing it with a new larger skin they have grown underneath the old one (this is called ecdysis or moulting). This process includes replacement of every hair on the body and internal cuticular structures such as the fore and hind gut linings and female genitalia. Once they are mature most araneomorph spiders stop moulting. However, female mygalomorph spiders moult throughout life, although at longer intervals as they get older. This allows some species, particularly tarantulas (Theraphosidae), to grow very large. \n\nDuring the moulting process, which may take many hours, the spider is in great danger from predators, being soft-bodied and unable to move until its new cuticle has hardened. For this reason moulting is often done at night hanging safely in mid-air from a silk line; or sealed within a silk retreat or moulting chamber, e.g., in a curled leaf, a burrow, or under bark. \nSpider eggs develop and hatch within the egg sac, the larval spider undergoing at least one further moult before emerging from the sac. The number of growth moults varies between species, as well as with size and nutritional state. Poorly fed spiders will moult fewer times and become smaller adults. Most spiders undergo 5-10 moults to reach adulthood. Males often have fewer and faster moults. Extreme examples of this are given by the Magnificent spider (Ordgarius magnificus) and the Bird Dung spider (Calaenia kinbergi), both large, specialised moth catching relatives of the orb weavers. The males moult only within the egg sac, emerging as tiny, fully mature males along with their similarly sized and very immature sisters, which will take many weeks and moults to become large adult females. \n\nA spider's appearance can change considerably during growth from spiderling to adult, as indicated by these stages in Redback Spider development. Adult males and females also may look quite different, especially in respect of size and colour. Spiders with good eyesight like jumping spiders often have colourful or strikingly marked males which differ considerably from their drabber females.
224671
I have been observing for more than 40 years.\n\nOn many occasions I have seen spiders floating through the air.  Sometimes it is possible to see the silken thread from which they are suspended, also blowing in the breeze.\n\nBut I have not inspected the clouds that closely, although they are an object of my weather interests...\n\nNevertheless, I do know for sure there are many smaller living items that get carried away.  I highly doubt the clouds are "sterile."\n\nTiny insects get blown a long way in strong winds.  Sometimes the "fallout" reaches desert areas, and lo and behold there are other larger insects there always scavenging this valuable source of food!\n\nLarger insects serve as fodder for the desert mice.\n\nSnakes eat the mice....there you go.  \n\nOne spider rides the jet Stream:\nhttp://mywebpage.netscape.com/aln298/Animals/AnimalTidbits.html -- this very interesting!\n\nAirborne spiders can happen in mountainous or elevated areas, very breezy areas, and it could appear that insects are coming out of the clouds.  You don't need to go very high to actually get above the clouds in many instances.
1166557
they eat aphids that they catch\n\nthey can not be hand fed...
1139605
Black Widow Spider\nThey spin irregular webs in crevices and other dark, protected spots.The female's bite, poisonous to humans, is followed by local pain and swelling, nausea, and difficulty in breathing and is sometimes fatal. \n\nBrown Recluse Spider\nIt spins a sheet web that may be found in secluded areas among rocks or in houses. The bite causes a long-lasting sore that involves tissue death, and severe reactions to it may become life-threatening.\n\nCrab Spider\n Crab spiders do not spin webs to trap prey, but hunt on the open ground or on vegetation or flowers. In this, they resemble other free-living spiders such as jumping spiders and wolf spiders.\n\nGo to my source 4 pics
658467
like it's already been stated, with spiders the female tends to be larger, also in some cases the female will eat the male when the fertilization is complete.\n\nBut as for a special chamber inside the female to store the male...never heard of that
599686
Female anacondas do not devour the males!\n\n- Praying mantis\n- Many spiders\n- Ceratopogonid midges\n\nhttp://www.yesbutnobutyes.com/archives/ugly_animal_kingdom/index.html\n\n---------\nUpdate: An interesting article that discusses adaptive and nonadaptive hypotheses for sexual cannibalism in spiders.  The evidence suggests that, at least in spiders, there's a connection between foraging decisions and cannibalistic behaviour towards males. \nhttp://www.blackwell-synergy.com/links/doi/10.1046/j.1420-9101.2002.00363.x/full/\n(let me know if you cannot download the article)
549798
Drosera is an insect eating plant.\n It is also called sun-dew for the following reason.\n\n The open leaf of drosera has a number of tentacles/hair on its upper surface. They secrete liquid that glistens in the Sun light like dew drops and attracts insects. they are then captured and digested by digestive enzymes secreted by the same tentacles/ hair.
322818
Spiders are arachnids.\n\nArachnids and insects are part of the group called ARTHROPODS.\n\nArthropods are invertebrate organisms with exoskeletons.\n\nArthropods include:  \n\nCrustaceans:  such as lobsters and crabs\nCentipedes\nMillipedes\nArachnids:  such as spiders\nInsects:  such as flies\n\nInsects have 6 legs and 3 body sections.\n\nI believe arachnids have 8 legs and 2 body sections.\n\nHowever, I am not completely sure about the body sections.
1005139
http://www.earthlife.net/chelicerata/arachnophobia.html
796504
Any spider with a "fat round body" as you put it, is most likely a garden spider family Aranaeidae. These are the very commonly spiders that build large round "typical" webs between bushes, trees and on people's front porches. They are very effective at catching and killing large flying insects, so let it be, it'll do more good than evil. None of these spiders are venomous to people, most (even the big ones) arent even able to deliver a bite, so no worries, hope this helps!
438771
There are black widow spiders in Wisconsin, and most likely there are also brown recluse spiders.\n\nBlack widows are black with a red hourglass on the underside of their shiny bodies. The Brown Recluse is another spider that is poisonous that you must be on the lookout for. It has long, skinny legs and is about one-half inch long overall. Its entire body is brown, except for a dark, violin shaped mark on its head.\n\nI believe these are the only two species of poisonous spiders in North America.
1071424
A few kinds of spiders are harmful to human beings. In North America, six kinds of spiders harm people, they are - the Brown Recluse, Sac, Black Widow, Brown Widow, Red-legged Widow and the Varied Widow. \n\nWater spiders are the only spiders that live most of their life underwater. The water spider breathes underwater from air bubbles that it holds close to its body. Its underwater nest is a silk web shaped like a small bell. The spider fills the web with air bubbles, which gradually push all the water out of the bell. The animal can live on this air for several months. Water spiders are found only in Europe and parts of Asia.
252861
Velvet Ants, check them out.  Also there are monarch butterfly look alikes.  Monarchs taste bad due to the milkweed they feed upon. There are lots of examples... the hour glass on a black widow for exmple, but spiders are arachnids.
159177
The spider plant\n\nand the other link has a couple more