Tech test: How much do you know about spiders?

PHOTO: © GENE WHITE

Edited by Mark VanderWerp, BCE, Manager of Education and Training, Rose Pest Solutions, Madison Heights, Mich.

Spider body parts provide species clues

Spiders have four pairs of legs and two body regions, the cephalothorax and the abdomen. Depending on the species, they have between zero and four pairs of eyes. The most common number of eyes is six or eight. Spiders possess a pair of pedipalps, or modified mouthparts. The pedipalps are often mistaken for antennae, which spiders do not have. Spiders use pedipalps for sensing, mating and feeding.

Source: Utah State University and Utah Plant Pest Diagnostic Library

Answers to June Tech Test

1. d, 2. True, 3. True, 4. d, 5. True, 6. d, 7. True, 8. d, 9. True, 10. False