My spider book says there are 34,000 species of spiders, but the book was written in 1996; and more species of plants and animals are being discovered all the time. [The book is "Biology of Spiders" by Rainer F. Foelix]

The book says there are spiders living in all types of environments except the air and the sea. The book says the largest tarantulas have bodies that are over 3 inches long. That doesn't count the legs, because the tarantula I handled this morning was larger, when her legs were measured too. She's a New World tarantula - a Chilean Rose Haired tarantula. She looks furry - she has hairs on her body and legs that she can brush off herself when she feels threatened. Each hair is covered with hundreds of tiny hooks that can irritate the skin of the animal that is threatening her. We're not supposed to touch the tarantula, but today I did; and, indeed, my finger is a little bit sore.

Female spiders live longer than males and are larger than males, in most cases.

My son made me a spider-shaped birthday cake last week.

Spider silk is so strong that it could be used for bullet-proof vests, if scientists could find a way to make a lot of it.

Here's a website about the spiders of Tennessee:

The site wants people to post good pictures of spiders in Tennessee to know about all the spiders. You can join the project by signing up at the website. There are pictures of people who joined the project recently.

Here are some of the spiders, with the name of the person who put the spider's picture on the website:

Black and Yellow Garden Spider, rohanberg 1 0.
Carolina wolf spider PhotoginTN 4 6.
Black and Yellow Argiope
ms.harris.the.math.genius 1 0.
Spotted orbweaver PhotoginTN 1 2.
Cribellate Orb Weaver LisaPowers 4 0.
Cardinal Jumping Spider EricHillstrom 3 0.
Brown Recluse/Violin Spider hourglasstym 1 1.