Humans use spiders' silk to make threadlike lines for microscopes, telescopes and other scientific instruments. All animals have natural enemies. Birds, insects such as wasps, snakes, lizards, frogs and fish eat spiders. Sometimes spiders eat each other. Humans try to destroy them because we do not understand how useful they are.
Spiders try to protect and defend themselves from their enemies.
Ask students to consider if they were spiders what they would do to protect and defend themselves. All of us know how to protect ourselves using methods that are very similar to those of the spider. Usually spiders are frightened of people and try to escape from us because we appear like giants to them. Humans also try to escape from things that we think are dangerous. A spider can hide by using its colors and patterns for camouflage to blend in with colors and patterns.