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I'm fairly new to necrons and currently writing out a 600point list, had a brilliant idea involving 2 spyders but no scarabs and creating my own....so I rushed out and bought another spyder and realised that the codex says 'add scarab base to a unit of scatabs' or words to the effect. So, if I have no scarabs at the start of the game...I cant make any, is that correct? And assuming this, are spyders worth running if they cant create any scarab bases? Are they good enough to just charge up the board and assault?

In a word: No. They can do some things, such as tarpit and eventually kill a non-power weapon weilding unit, or chase down and wreck extremely slow moving vehicles. What they're not good at is taking on assault hammer units and or any other MC. The reason, for the most part, is because they only have 2 attacks base, and WS3 to boot. So not only do they not get many attacks, they're prolly gonna miss half of them.

Last night, for the first time in a long time, I pulled 3 spyders off the shelf and put em in a list. They didn't really do all that much based on the way the game flowed, but for the first time ever I equipped all three with the fabricator claw, and being able to restore hull points to my ghost arks was very helpful.

Long story short...if you're gonna run Spyders, I would run at least one unit of scarabs. Scarabs are amazing, and smart generals will want to get rid of them immediately. It's nice to be able to bolster their numbers.

Remember the Spyders are already paying for their ability in their cost, and there are better assault units in the Necron book, so I would say without Scarabs, no.

Ok, so at 600 points ive dropped a destructek and either the warscythe or sepitermal weave from my overlord to get thw scarabs in. So my next question, as I've not run scarabs yet, will 3 scarabs + 2 spyders be any good in 600 point games? I'll hide them if im not going first so I can add 2 bases before they fly off, and conga line them a little so they stay within 6in of a spyder. I know to fear flamers and blasts, but otherwise how durable are scarabs?

Depending on the prevalence of psykers in your area gloom prisms on spyders can bring some much needed psychic defense, which helps justify bringing spyders.
As far as scarabs are concerned, they will die in droves to any template weapon. You might be better off keeping them huddled in your deployment zone letting spyders buff their ranks before sending them off, just to improve their chances of survival, because anyone that's had scarabs in their ranks before will be pointing all their guns at the poor things.

Spyders are quite durable in my opinion.
Statistically you need at least 11 boltershots to kill one base.

Their biggest weakness is T3 and 5+, but they are very low so you can almost always get a 4+ cover if you play it right.
And getting into cover is easy when you move 12" and ignore difficult and dangerous terrain.

in a 600 point game 2 spyders and 3 scarab bases would do ok, because you should get 7 bases of scarabs T2 if you work it right.

Spyders are T6 and have a 3+ save, plus as a MC they get fear, HoW and Smash, which are helpful.

Definitely play them with either scarabs or wraiths (ie something to take some of the low AP shooting).

sypders are pretty cool but i would definitely run them with scarabs. I dont use them two often because I play mainly against grey knights and they do not like force weapons at all.

9 toughness 6 wounds never hurt to have on the field though, and if they had the twin linked blast weapon I think they could add support to your necron advance up the field