Question 1

True or false: The spider's venom is lethal to humans within minutes of a bite.

Accepted Answer

False. Its venom is mild and not dangerous to humans, designed only to subdue small insect prey.

Question 2

True or false: This spider species is commonly found in urban gardens across Europe.

Accepted Answer

False. It is endemic only to Madagascar's rainforests, not found anywhere else in the world.

Question 3

True or false: Darwin's bark spider was discovered by Charles Darwin during his Beagle voyage.

Accepted Answer

False. It was named after Darwin in 2009 to honor his work, but discovered in Madagascar in the 21st century.

Question 4

True or false: Darwin's bark spider spins the largest orb webs of any spider species.

Accepted Answer

True. Its web can span up to 30 square feet, often bridging rivers, making it the largest orb web in the world.

Question 5

True or false: This spider builds its web above water to catch mayflies and other aquatic insects.

Accepted Answer

True. It suspends webs over streams in Madagascar, snatching insects that emerge from the water below.

Question 6

True or false: Darwin's bark spider can jump up to 50 times its body length to catch prey.

Accepted Answer

False. It relies on its massive web, not jumping; it waits at the center or edge for prey to get trapped.

Question 7

True or false: The Darwin's bark spider is known for building the largest orb webs of any spider.

Accepted Answer

True. Females spin webs that can span rivers, up to 2.8 m² in area, with anchor lines up to 25 m long, the largest orb webs known.

Question 8

True or false: The silk of Darwin's bark spider is the toughest biological material known.

Accepted Answer

True. It's over ten times tougher than Kevlar, thanks to unique proteins that make it resistant to breaking.

Darwin's Bark Spider Trivia Questions