Fascination with spiders: 140 children discover the mysterious world!

Fascination with spiders: 140 children discover the mysterious world!

The auditorium of the Jacob Lienau School in Neustadt in Holstein became the setting for a fascinating journey into the world of spiders. On November 18, 2025, around 140 children gathered there for the last children's university, which was led by the well-known spider researcher Dr. Danilo Harms stood. The event was not only informative, but also great fun for the little participants.

The children's questions were varied and showed genuine interest: How big can spiders get? Where do you find them? And how long do they actually live? Dr. Harms answered these and many other questions in a child-friendly and clear way and made the first lesson on the differences between arachnids and insects a real experience. The exciting lecture was supplemented by impressive images and video material.

The meaning of spiders

An important aspect that Dr. Harms highlighted was the role of spiders in the ecosystem. It is estimated that spiders exist worldwide between 400 and 800 million tons Eating insects is more than the total human meat consumption annually. This illustrates how central they are to ecological balance: in forests and grasslands they control up to 95% of all prey.

“The spiders are also important food for many animals,” explained Dr. Harms. “Birds, and in some cultures even humans, value them as a source of food.” In addition, the pharmaceutical industry is exploring the potential of spider venom to develop novel medicines, showing that spiders can also contribute to human health in unexpected ways.

Spiders and their webs

Another exciting topic was the building behavior of spiders, which use their eight legs to weave impressive webs. According to biologist Thomas Lübcke, network construction is a complex process that is well thought out and fulfills many functions. The catching net is not only used for hunting, but also offers the spider protection and living space.

Spiders are master hunters with a highly developed sensory system that allows them to detect and capture prey. Dr. Harms warned the children against prematurely killing spiders, for example with vacuum cleaners. “A better solution is to take the spiders outside with a jar,” he recommended.

Looking into the future

The next children's university will take place on January 17, 2026, and the topic will be exciting: “Sustainable architecture – making new from old”. The speaker is the Dipl.-Ing. Daniel Lenz from the Lübeck University of Technology, who will introduce the children to valuable resources such as wood and “waste”. With so much to learn, interest in nature and its wonders in Neustadt will certainly not be left behind!