There’s an apocryphal story among J.R.R. Tolkien fans that the fantasy author’s villainous portrayals of spiders were inspired by a childhood incident when a tarantula bit him. In a better documented ...

Many lovers of spiders profess a lifelong fascination with all things creepy crawly. Heather Bruen’s affinity for spiders was borne out of necessity. Tolerance turned to acceptance, and “accidentally ...

A strange, spiny-legged arachnid from prehistoric times has been unearthed in Illinois. The newly discovered species, named Douglassarachne acanthopoda, lived around 308 million years ago and was ...

Researchers found jumping spiders, known for their acrobatic hunting, exhibiting signs of R.E.M. sleep, but it is unknown whether they dream, or even sleep. By Carolyn Wilke By day, jumping spiders ...

A team of researchers say that rather than occupying their own branch in the history of life on Earth, horseshoe crabs are in the same group as spiders and scorpions. By Veronique Greenwood Horseshoe ...

Unregulated markets could lead to species becoming vulnerable. Spiders, tarantulas and scorpions may be creepy to many, but it turns out there's a gargantuan market for arachnids as pets, and it is ...