June 05,2023
By Sonakshi Kandhari
While ‘Itsy Bitsy Spider’ might be a cute rhyme to recite, does actually seeing a spider send chills down your spine? One might be just a few feet away from you because spiders are everywhere. So far, around 35,000 species have been identified, but scientists believe that there are more to be discovered. Of these vast numbers of species, here are 10 large spiders that are sure to creep you out.
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With about 30 centimetre-long feet and 8 centimetre body, they are the world's largest spiders. Catching a glimpse of them is hard because these spiders find solace in limestone caves in Laos.These mighty spiders are dull yellowish-brown in colour, which makes their prey, including insects, rodents and lizards, hard to escape them.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
Not too far behind the Huntsman spiders, this one has a leg span of 28 centimetres and a body length of 13 centimetres. It’s scary not just because of its size but also because of the hiss that it makes when in danger. Of course, its bite is dangerous, but a fang piercing or hair bristle release, which is its defence mechanism, is far more deadly.
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Found only in the Paribia State in Brazil, this spider with its 25-centimetre-long leg span might seem domineering, but because of its easy breeding, it's even kept as a pet. Even this spider, like the Goliath birdeater tarantula, does not fancy birds and feeds on amphibians and reptiles. Like its name suggests, the hair on the spider's body, legs and abdomen is pinkish in colour.
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The world’s longest-living tarantula, which lives for as long as 30 years, is found in four countries: Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Brazil. Even these make great pets for spider lovers. They are brownish in colour, and their diet consists of crickets, mice and small reptiles. Unfortunately, the trading of this spider is a lucrative business.
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Easily distinguishable, this spider is black in colour with yellow patterning on its legs. Its rare colouring results in it being showcased as a show spider. You can find this spider scurrying across the grasslands in Paraguay and Argentina. While they have a massive leg span of 20 centimetres, they are mild-mannered.
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Discovered just over 100 years ago in Nigeria, this brownish spider is so named because its body is baboon-shaped. Since there’s been no recent sightings of this spider, many believe it might have become extinct, but if you happen to spot it, it more often than not looks angry. It would not be wrong to say that this was one of the heaviest spiders ever.
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Found in the rainforests of Columbia and Brazil, catching a sight of this spider is hard to come by, but not one to regret because of its rare black and orange hues. Rather jumpy by nature, this spider starts to bob up and down if a threat is looming. If that does not work, they walk in fast circles to confuse their enemies. They have a leg span of 20 centimetres.
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This spider is your worst nightmare! They are tree-dwellers and have a leg span of 20 centimetres. Coming in unique colours of grey, pink and yellow, it moves at a lightning-fast speed, unlike the other spiders. Discovered in Sri Lanka, research suggests that this spider poses no threat to humans but has the ability to paralyse lizards, birds and snakes.
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Truly like the camel, even in its colour, this spider is found in the deserts of the Middle East, the Southwest USA and Mexico. Unique in another way, this spider is an amalgamation of a scorpion and speed, which contributes to its fangs. Escaping this spider is practically impossible because it moves at a speed of 16 kilometre per hour.
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Don't allow its 15-centimetre leg span to fool you; this spider has a fiery temper. Its poisonous venom even earned it the title of being the most venomous animal in the Guiness Book of World Records in 2007. Another fearsome aspect of this spider is that if it inflicts a bite on a human being, it can result in their death within 2 hours.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons