Most people think that spiders are dangerous creatures that should be wiped away with a cloth, sucked up in the vacuum cleaner or smashed with a newspaper. That is not wise because spiders play a very important role in our Eco-system. They catch many annoying and harmful insects and are therefore very useful creatures. As you will see on these pages, many of the spiders are beautifully colored, and therefore very pleasant and wonderful to look at. Since most spiders are very small, you need a magnifying glass or a camera to study them or to reveal their beauty.
Most spiders use venom to kill their prey.
This venom is almost always harmless to humans. However, there are a few exceptions. In Europe there is one known spider, called the black widow, whose bite can be lethal to young children and elderly people. It lives in the southern parts of Europe. Also the bite of a water spider can be harmful and should be avoided.