What is the largest spider in the world? The largest and most dangerous spiders in the world

Goliath tarantula(lat. Theraphosa blondi) - most big representative order of spiders in the world. The size, strength and dexterity of this arthropod allow it to cope with frogs, toads, small rodents, small birds, lizards and even small snakes.

Name " Tarantulas"The species was not without reason - at the end of the 18th century, a group of scientists and researchers in the tropical forest of Venezuela caught a large spider eating a hummingbird. Most of all, this scene impressed Maria Merian, a German entomologist, she made a sketch of what she saw, which soon ended up in the newspapers. After that, the name "Tarantula" is forever assigned to the family of spiders Theraphosidae(Real tarantulas).

The largest representative of the species, whose leg span reached 28 cm was found in Venezuela in 1965. Until 2001, it was considered the most large spider in the world, but in tropical forests Laos was opened new look- Heteropoda maxima, which surpassed the goliath tarantula in leg span by 2 cm, but was significantly inferior in mass and body size.

The average size of Theraphosa blondi is about 25 cm, females are slightly larger and more massive than males. The body color is dark or light brown, the legs are reddish brown. The dorsal shield is quite impressive in size and covered with sharp hairs, which the spider uses for defense.

The goliath tarantula settles in warm and humid areas with swampy or semi-swampy terrain, where there is plenty of food. The habitat is limited to 4 countries in South America: Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and Brazil (northern regions only).

The home of the tarantula spider is a rather deep hole, which can be identified by its entrance shrouded in cobwebs.

Entrance to a spider's hole

The name of this giant spider speaks for itself - it can feed on birds, but contrary to popular belief, birds are not part of the goliath's main diet. Moreover Theraphose Blond They never specifically hunt birds; they can only take advantage of the opportunity to feast on a chick that has fallen from the nest.

The goliath tarantula is the only spider in the world that hunts snakes

The goliath tarantula's hunting tactics are not particularly sophisticated: it waits for its victims, hiding in an ambush, and when they get close enough, it attacks with lightning speed and paralyzes the prey with a bite, injecting a neurotoxin. By the way, Terafoz Blond’s clicks are also distinguished by record sizes for arachnids - 2 cm, in rare cases slightly more than 2 cm.

2 cm fangs of a goliath tarantula

Despite its impressive size, the goliath tarantula is not one of the most dangerous spiders, although it has been classified as such for more than a century. The spider's venom has a paralytic effect, but its effectiveness is only sufficient for a small animal. For a person or large animal, the bite of Theraphose Blond is comparable to the sting of a hornet or even a bee. Apparently the arthropod is well aware of this fact and therefore, when biting particularly large aggressors, such as humans, it often does not inject venom.

The spider itself has quite a few enemies who are not averse to feasting on it: these are local aborigines, and representatives of the cat family, and noses... Therefore, the goliath had to develop a very unusual defensive tactic: when there is a clear threat, the tarantula turns its back to the aggressor and shakes off with its hind legs the back has special sharp hairs that quickly irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes, nose and mouth of the attacker.

The hostility of the goliath tarantula can be easily determined by the characteristic hissing that the spider makes by rubbing its legs against each other.

There aren't that many people in the world who like spiders, although lately These scary hairy creatures have become popular in the West as pets. But still, for most of humanity, the sight of a spider still causes trembling/disgust/fear and similar not very pleasant sensations, and their intensity directly depends on the size of the creature seen. In this article we will tell you about the largest representative of arachnids - the Tarantula spider. So, meet Teraphose Blonde - the most big spider in the world!

Perhaps a more familiar name for many would be the goliath tarantula or giant tarantula spider, because Theraphosis Blonde is a name that is widespread mainly in scientific circles, but the essence does not change - under all these names lies the largest spider in the world.

So, imagine a spider the size of a large plate, with a large body and long thick legs, completely covered with red-brown hairs...

Imagining such a sight, and even more so seeing it in reality, right in front of you, you can’t help but wonder how you can have such a “pet” instead of a more familiar, affectionate and pleasant-looking and touching cat or dog. But recently the number of such eccentric spider-loving owners has been constantly growing...

On average, giant tarantulas grow up to 25 centimeters (with legs extended), with a body length of about 10 centimeters.

The largest specimen was found in Rio Cavro in Venezuela during the research expedition of Pablo San Martin in April 1965. The discovered goliath tarantula had a leg span of 28 centimeters and a weight of about 170 grams.

The species Theraphosa Blonde was first described by the famous French entomologist Latreille in 1804. It was then discovered that the tarantula’s diet includes frogs, lizards, mice and even small snakes.

The largest spider in the world lives mainly in Northern Brazil, Guyana, Suriname and Venezuela. Its home is a deep hole, the entrance to which is tightly closed with a thick layer of cobwebs.

Although the goliath tarantula is considered the most big spider in the world, there is still one species that surpasses it in the span of its limbs, but is significantly inferior in body size - Heteropoda maxima, whose leg span reaches 30 centimeters. The largest specimen was discovered in 2001 in Laos, in one of the caves in Khammouane province.

To unwind and take a little break from this unpleasant sight, we suggest reading, where there are also many interesting information and photographs.

Is there a spider in the world? Let's face it—people have a certain fear of arthropods.

If you're a victim of arachnophobia (an inexplicable fear of spiders), or you just don't like creatures with eight limbs, or you just... fascinated by these creatures, information about the largest of them is worthy of attention.

Spiders evoke different feelings in people

Most people at least sometimes were scared at the sight little spider. Imagine what it feels like to come into contact with the largest arthropods in the world!

The world's largest arachnid species are different shapes And forms so let's take a look at the top 10 major representatives this detachment, and let's see what we're dealing with.

It's useful to prepare yourself for possible dire situations, so let's start from 10th place, and gradually work our way to the world's largest eight-legged monster.

10. Tegenaria parietin

Wall tegenaria is found in:

• Central Asia
• North Africa
• Argentina
• Uruguay.

In England, he is called the “cardinal”, as there is a legend that tells of the great fright that Cardinal Wolsey experienced when meeting a brown, scary arthropod. Wall tegenaria lives in old buildings or caves.

The color of Tegenaria parietin is usually pale. The first segments on the front pairs of legs are colored characteristic dark brown color, more clearly expressed in males.

The wall tegenaria Spider seems even more creepy thanks to its legs, which are three times longer than the body, which is 7.5 cm long. This rare “spider” in our time is the largest in Europe, reaching from 13 to 15 cm with straightened legs .

Tegenarii – best runners for short distances among their fellows. They do not know how to swaddle prey in a cocoon, but weave nets - thick layer of loose cobwebs, in which the caught insect actually drowns.

Females carry the egg cocoon with them until the spiders hatch and leave it.

9. Nephila edulis

Nephila golden weaver or golden silk ball weaver. Nephila goldworm poison for humans not lethal, but very toxic. Symptoms after a bite disappear only after a day.

This predatory arthropod is a relative of the fossil arthropod species Nephila Jurassica, who lived about 165 million years ago (during the Jurassic period).

Coloration varies from greenish-yellow to reddish, and the head and abdomen are white.

Body length of female nephila golden moths, distinguished by their ability to weave large networks, reaches 4 cm, and together with straightened legs - 12 cm. Males are much smaller - together with their legs, their length is 7 mm.

The species is divided into two types:

1. jumping, chasing prey in leaps
2. running, capable of developing quite high speed.

Lead night look life, hiding during the day under stones or in other shelters, including in human dwellings.

They hunt insects and other arthropods, but can also attack lizards and birds that are larger than them. Phoneutria are different banana addiction, for which they are called bananas.

6. Hysterocrates Spider

Giant baboon spider. Per person attacks only in defense. The bite is not fatal, but causes nausea. Despite their terrifying appearance, Hysterocrates Spiders do not pose a serious threat to humans and are often kept as pets.

Lives in tropical and subtropical forests and belongs to the burrowing species. Coloration varies from matte black-gray to orange-brown. Although the legs of this tarantula are covered with hairs, there are no protective hairs on the body, like other Old World tarantulas.

This large spider, also known as the Red Cameroon Baboon, whose dimensions reach 30.5 cm, 20 of which are in the length of the legs, is a member of the tarantula family.

It is nocturnal and feeds on invertebrates such as:

• crickets
• cockroaches
• butterflies
• small spiders
• small vertebrates - mice and other living creatures.

It kills prey by injecting poison. When danger arises:

1. stands on its hind legs
2. accepts threatening pose
3. slaps its front legs on the ground, making sounds resembling a grinding sound.

Females lay their eggs in a pouch that contains hundreds of eggs. Although most arthropods kill each other for food, siblings of a given species share food, live together for about 6 months, and individual individuals even subsequently share burrows and a tunnel system.

5. Xenesthis immanis

Purple tarantula. Often kept as exotic pets despite their aggressiveness. They love to dig long tunnels and run fast. Cobwebs are not used to make traps; they ambush prey.

Inhabiting tropical rainforests, Xenesthis immanis is found in:

• Colombia
• Ecuador
• Venezuela
• Panama.

Despite the terrifying sight that can be seen when it eats birds, This tarantula is not dangerous for humans.

Named for its ability to feed on birds, the purple tarantula, a member of the tarantula family, reaches a length of 23 cm, given the leg span, and this is not the limit.

The main food is insects:

1. crickets
2. cockroaches
3. relatively small spiders,

but they can also eat:

• frog
• small rodents

Females live more than 15 years, males live 2-3 years.

4. Camel

Camel spider. Representatives of this order received the name “camel spider” due to the presence of a hump on the head, and not because of kinship with camels!

In appearance, the phalanges resemble spiders; they differ in body structure - the body is divided into three sections, not two; There are differences in the structure of the limbs.

Camel or sun spiders, sun scorpions, wind scorpions, they are also phalanges - a detachment of arachnids, numbering more than 1000 species.

The body size ranges from 5 to 7 cm, but some species reach 30.5 cm including the length of the limbs.

Brown-yellow body and limbs of wind scorpions cover long hairs, and the tentacles located in front resemble limbs and perform their function.

Phalanges are nocturnal predators whose diet includes:

1. termites
2. darkling beetles
3. small arthropods
4. lizards
5. small rodents
6. chicks

They live in desert areas on all continents, with the exception of Australia.

All arachnids of this order are very mobile; individual individuals can develop speed up to 16 km/h.

It is interesting that when the phalanx attacks produce a chirping or high-pitched squeak by rubbing the chelicerae(oral appendages) against each other.

3. Goliath Birdeater

Goliath tarantula. Like all tarantulas, Goliath powerful fangs reaching 2 cm and capable of biting through human skin. Goliaths bite only in self-defense, most often without injecting poison, and the poison itself is not dangerous to humans.

Goliath tarantulas are found in the tropical forests of South America. They live in deep burrows lined with cobwebs at the entrance, and weight reaches 170 grams.

The average lifespan of females is from 15 to 25 years, while the lifespan of males is from 3 to 6 years.

This huge spider belongs to the tarantula family and reaches a length of up to 30 cm, including the length of the limbs, and the body length is 10 cm.

The goliath does not weave a complex web, preferring to sneak up unnoticed and attack the victim with lightning speed. paralyzing her with a bite poisonous fangs.

The diet includes:

• frogs
• lizards
• mice
• small snakes

but, despite its name, it almost does not eat birds.

TO interesting features Goliath tarantula has the ability to produce chelicerae by friction loud hissing sounds, audible at a distance of up to 5 meters.

They also use the red-brown hairs that cover their body as a defense mechanism. Their goliath shakes them off its belly towards the enemy, which irritates mucous membranes enemy's mouth and nose.

2. Lasiodora parahybana

Brazilian salmon-pink tarantula. In nature, these voracious tarantulas hunt any prey of suitable size, including small snakes. They usually hunt in hiding, but can move very quickly.

Despite the popularity of Lasiodora parahybana among arachnid lovers, due to the activity and unstable, often aggressive behavior of the salmon-pink tarantula not recommended for beginners.

Discovered in 1917 in Brazil and found exclusively in the eastern part of Brazil, the large spider, reaching 30.5 cm including the length of its legs, is often kept as a pet.

In males slim body and longer legs, females are much larger- weight reaches 100 grams or more. The lifespan of females is 12-15 years.

Like other tarantulas, Lasiodora parahybana uses its hind legs to defend itself from predators shakes off hairs, causing a strong allergic reaction, from the upper part of the abdomen, and if this technique does not work, raises the two front pairs of legs and takes an attacking stance.

1. Huntsman Spider

Spider-Hunter. Distinctive feature females of this family are active protection their cocoons for eggs and hatched spiders from any threat.

The spider living in Australia is also known in the world as giant crab spider, because the legs are curved like the legs of a crab.

Large individuals reach 30.5 cm in length, taking into account the size of their legs.

For their passion for wooden buildings they are also called giant arboreal.

The structure of the legs allows representatives of this family to climb into narrow places:

1. into the crevices
2. under the bark of trees
3. between logs and so on.

The coloring is usually protective - gray or light brown, but many species have:

• white
• black and white
• reddish spots.

The spines on the legs are quite noticeable, but the rest of the body is furry.

These arthropods are called hunters or huntsmen because hunting manners and because of movement speed. They are capable of making large jumps.

Poison is used to immobilize the victim. not fatal to humans. They feed mainly on insects and other invertebrates, and sometimes small geckos.

People are only bitten when encountered in barns, garages and other rarely visited places.

Huntsman spiders considered useful, because they destroy pests (cockroaches and so on), but their mere appearance is enough to cause trembling even a big fan of arachnids.

Video about how big spider carries away mouse

Imagine a spider that is the same size as a child's forearm and weighs the same as a puppy. It's about about the huge South American goliath tarantula - perhaps the world's largest spider.

Entomologist and photographer Peter Naskreski came across one during a night walk in the rainforests of Guyana and at first thought it was a small, hairy mammal. Here brief description this formidable beast with eight legs - beware, arachnophobes!

The Goliath tarantula from South America is the largest spider in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. The length of its paws can reach up to 30 centimeters, and it can weigh up to 170 grams.

Defense Mechanisms

The spider has three lines of self-defense. When it rubs its paws on its stomach, a cloud of tiny jagged hairs appears on them, which enter the eyes and mucous membranes of the victim and cause severe pain and itching that does not stop for several days. The spider also has long fangs that are strong enough to pierce the skull of a mouse. It can also “hiss.” This sound occurs when he rubs his paws together, and is similar to the sound of Velcro that you try to pull apart.

Tarantula

Despite its name, the goliath tarantula does not typically feed on birds (though it is certainly capable of doing so). Instead, it eats everything it can find on the ground. Typically this is earthworms, frogs or other small invertebrates. To kill the victim, he injects poison into its body using long fangs. The spider does not pose much danger to humans, although its bite will make you feel as if you had pierced your hand with a nail.

Spider from Guyana

Naskreski saw this specimen - a female - during a trip to Guyana and took her with him. Now it is in the museum. Despite his experience as an entomologist, Naskreski has only seen a total of three tarantulas in his life.

Protection from predators

The goliath tarantula has many methods in its arsenal to scare off potential predators. First of all, there is a behavior called stridulation, where he rubs the bristles on his paws, creating a hissing sound. The spider can assume a threatening pose by arching its first two pairs of legs back and retracting its fangs. This perfect pose for a bite. If that's not enough, the goliath can direct the spiky hairs from its belly at potential enemies, which will irritate their skin.

Growing up

Tarantulas take two to three years to mature. Since the goliath tarantula is a species of tarantula, like other species, it continues to molt throughout adult life. This allows the goliath to regenerate damaged or lost limbs.

Dimensions

Here you can see the Goliath tarantula close up. The spider can reach the size of a child's forearm and weigh more than 170 grams, according to Naskreski.

Huntsman Spider

Some sources say that the giant huntsman spider may be larger than the goliath tarantula due to the length of its legs. Last year, a photograph emerged of a huntsman spider that was photographed by an Australian woman in her backyard. It was recognized as the largest spider in the world.

Spiders are arthropods that belong to the class of arachnids. Representatives of this class, today, there are about 40 thousand species. They differ from each other in their way of life, appearance, type of food. In nature there are a wide variety of types of spiders: the smallest and harmless spiders(0.37 mm), as well as the most dangerous spiders and even the most poisonous spiders in the world (up to 25 cm). And in this article we will tell you about several amazing and interesting species.

Tarantula spider – Theraphosidae

The tarantula spider is perhaps the largest spider in the world, or rather the family of tarantula spiders (Theraphosidae). Some members of this family can reach 30.5 cm in leg span, such as the king baboon, black tarantula and purple tarantula. The body of tarantulas is always densely covered with long and short hairs. Body color can be either gray-brown or bright colors(red, blue, red). Tarantulas live in countries with hot climates (Africa, South America, Oceania, Australia). These spiders inhabit abandoned nests of birds and rodents or dig holes near tree trunks. They are active mainly in the evening. Then they go hunting or catch a prey running nearby. Tarantulas feed on insects, small birds and rodents. These spiders breed in late summer. The female lays eggs in a cobweb cocoon, which she carries with her and does not lose sight of. They protect the offspring, so that the spiderlings that emerge from the cocoon sit on the mother’s abdomen for some time. But soon they begin to lead an independent life. The tarantula's venom paralyzes the victim and decomposes its entrails, then the spider sucks out the contents of the victim's body. For humans, the tarantula's venom is not dangerous, but quite painful. The bite site bakes, hurts and swells, sometimes becomes yellow. But these symptoms go away after a few weeks.

Cross spider – Araneus

Crossworts are members of the orb weaver family (Araneidae). They belong to the contract web spiders. They have an egg-shaped convex abdomen, on which there is a pattern in the form of a cross. Body color ranges from gray to red. They are covered with long bristles, sparsely distributed throughout the body and densely covered with short, thin hairs. Body length in males is 10-11 mm, in females – 17-40 mm. About 30 species of crosses live in the CIS and Russia. These spiders are active in the evening. They deftly weave webs that catch many small insects. Mating and egg laying occurs in the fall. The female lays eggs in a cobweb cocoon and hides it under the bark or other secluded place. In the spring, spiderlings emerge from the cocoon. By the end of summer, a new generation of spiders grows up, and their mother dies. The cross spider is poisonous, but it is not dangerous to humans. Its bite is painful, but the burning and swelling at the site of the bite goes away after a few hours.

Karakurt spider - Latrodectus tredecimguttatus

This is not a large black spider at all. The body of the female (10-20 mm) is completely black, which is why she is also called a black widow, the body of the male (4-7 mm) is also black, but with bright red spots on the abdomen (usually 13 spots ). The karakurt spider lives in the territory Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, on the shores Mediterranean Sea, in North Africa, Southern Europe, Kazakhstan, southern Russia and Ukraine. They prefer the slopes of ravines, virgin wormwood, wastelands, and the banks of irrigation ditches. Karakurts inhabit abandoned rodent burrows and ventilation systems, entwining the entrance with cobwebs. In such dens, females and males mate at the end of summer. The female lays her eggs in a cocoon of cobwebs and hangs it in her den. In spring, spiderlings emerge from cocoons. Karakurts feed on small insects. Their venom is toxic to large animals and people. There is a burning sensation and swelling at the site of the bite. After 10-15 minutes, the poison spreads throughout the body and the person experiences pain in the chest, abdominal part. Dizziness, nausea, sweating, rapid heartbeat, and delirium also occur. And if you don’t provide it in time medical care, possible death(in most cases). Karakurt bites through the skin only 0.5 mm, so it is recommended to cauterize the bite site with a lit match within 2 minutes after the bite.

White karakurt - Latrodectus pallidus

Image of white karakurt

This is a white spider long legs and a round belly. The abdomen is white or milky in color, with 4 indentations. The legs and cephalothorax are yellow or light brown. White spider has a body 10-20 mm long. Females are larger than males. White spiders weave a web in the shape of a cone, which is connected to a trapping net. They live in North Africa, the Middle East, Iran, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan. The white karakurt spider is not aggressive, but its poison is toxic and can cause complications. Children and the elderly are most susceptible to the effects of the poison. Toxicological studies have shown that the poison of the white karakurt is similar to the poison of the karakurt (Latrodectus tredecimtugattus). If you are bitten by this spider, you should consult a doctor.

Camel spider - Camel spider

The camel spider has many names: phalanges, bihors, salpugs, barbers, barbers, wind scorpion. The body (5-7 cm) is slightly oblong, light and dark red, densely covered with long, thin hairs. The camel spider's body shape is similar to a scorpion, especially with its chelicerae (claws). With them he is able to bite through a human nail and even small bird bones. He also uses his chelicerae to trim hairs and feathers from his victims and place them in his home. The camel spider lives in the desert regions of Asia, Africa, America, and Europe. Phalanx spider is a nocturnal predator. It is practically omnivorous and carnivorous, feeding on various insects, rodents, and lizards. Camel spiders have eyes like scorpions: 2 compound eyes in the middle and one on each side of the cephalothorax. Compound eyes are highly responsive to movement, so these spiders are incredibly fast, up to 53 cm/s (1.9 km/h).
The camel spider is not poisonous, but it does have an incredibly painful bite. And also on its chelicerae the remains of the tissues of the previous victim can rot, which can cause serious inflammation.

Jumping spiders – Salticidae

Jumping spiders or jumping spiders are a family of araneomorphic spiders that includes 610 genera and 5,800 species. They live in tropical forests, deserts, semi-deserts, temperate zone forests and mountains. These are small spiders, up to 2 cm long. The body is pubescent. These spiders have well-developed vision. They have 8 eyes, thanks to which they see 360º degrees. Jumping spiders differ from each other in body shape, color and range. There are the following types of jumping spiders:
- the golden jumping spider lives in the south-east of Asian countries, and is characterized by a long abdominal part and a large first pair of legs. The body has a very peculiar golden color. The length of the male rarely exceeds 76 mm, and the females are larger;

- Himalayan jumping spiders are the smallest spiders. They live high above sea level, in the Himalayas, where their only prey is the occasional small insect that gets blown onto the mountain slopes strong wind;

- The green jumping spider lives in New Guinea, New South Wales and Queensland. Often found in Western Australia. The male has a very bright color, and his body is decorated with long white “whiskers”;

- The red-backed species of jumping spider settles in relatively dry areas. The red spider is often found on coastal dunes or oak woodlands North America. These red spiders are unique in that they are able to build tube-like silken nests under rocks and on the surface of vines;

- the species Hyllus Diardi has a body up to 1.3 cm long. Compared to other types of jumping spiders, it does not weave a web, therefore, to catch prey, it attaches a silk thread to some support, and then jumps from such a peculiar “bungee” onto its victim;

- the ant jumping spider looks very similar to an ant and is most often found in tropical zones from Africa to central Australia. Body color can vary from light yellow to black.

Jumping spiders are unique in that they can jump long distances (up to 20 times their body size). Before jumping, they cling to the substrate with a web (thus securing their jump), then push their body out with their hind legs. Jumping spiders are absolutely harmless to humans. They have poison, but it has no effect on humans, and their bite is almost painless.

Argiope bruennichi or spider wasp - Argiope bruennichi

Argiope has the second name of the wasp spider, since the color of the body and the shape of the abdomen resemble a wasp. Body length 2-3 cm (leg span). The abdomen is elongated with bright stripes, the predominant colors are yellow, white, and black. The legs are long, thin, and mostly in an X-shaped position. The spider wasp lives in Kazakhstan, Asia Minor, Central Asia, China, Korea, India and Japan, North Africa, Southern and Central Europe, Crimea, and the Caucasus. These spiders are also found quite often in Russia. Argiope belongs to the spiders of the orb-weaving spider family (Araneidae). It is typical for these spiders to weave a wheel-shaped web, and have a stabilimentum (zigzag pattern) in the center. This is a forest spider. It very often settles on lawns, forests, gardens, in tall grass, between tree branches. The wasp spider feeds on various insects. Mating occurs after the female has moulted, while her body remains soft. The female lays eggs in a large cocoon (outwardly resembling a plant seed pod) and places it next to the hunting web. The spiderlings emerge from the cocoon at the beginning of autumn and settle downwind on cobwebs. The wasp spider is not dangerous to humans. Its venom may only cause slight redness, swelling and pain, but these symptoms go away very quickly.

Wolf spiders – Lycosidae

Wolf spiders are a family of araneomorph spiders that number 2,367 species. The body color is usually gray-brown. The body is covered with small short hairs. Some species reach more than 3 cm (leg span). The wolf spider lives almost everywhere except Antarctica. He prefers rain forests, meadows, hiding under fallen leaves, stones, wood. They don't weave webs. These are earth spiders, so they live in a hole, which is only covered with cobwebs inside. If this is the private sector, you can easily stumble upon it in the basement. If there is a vegetable garden nearby, he can easily get into your cellar. Active at night. The wolf spider hunts insects or catches those who run near its burrow. This spider is a good jumper. He can jump on the victim, securing himself with a web. Mating occurs in the summer. After mating, the female lays eggs in a cocoon that she wears at the end of her abdomen. After 2-3 weeks, the spiderlings emerge from the cocoon and climb onto their mother’s abdomen. They sit like this until they learn to get their own food. The wolf spider is not dangerous to humans. Its bite is equivalent to a bee sting, which causes itching, swelling and redness, which disappears fairly quickly.

Harvesting spiders – Pholcidae

This family has about 1000 species of spiders. Harvesting spiders have a small body and long thin legs. Body size 2-10 mm. The length of the legs reaches 50 mm. Body color is grayish or reddish. Harvesting spiders are ubiquitous. Some species live in people's homes. There they find warm and dry places, mainly near windows. They feed on small insects. These spiders weave large webs in a chaotic manner. The web is not sticky, but when the victim tries to get out of it, it becomes even more entangled. After mating, females lay eggs in a web cocoon, which they attach to the side of the trapping nets. For humans, harvest spiders are absolutely harmless. Their venom is safe, and the bite cannot be felt.

Goliath tarantula - Theraphosa blondi

This giant spider is considered the largest in the world. The span of its legs reaches 30 cm. In Venezuela (1965), one of the representatives of this species was listed in the Guinness Book of Records. The span of its legs was 28 cm. It is believed that the leg span of Heteropoda maxima is even longer, up to 35 cm. But this species has a small body and long thin legs. So he is small compared to the massive goliath.
The body of the goliath is light or dark brown, densely covered with short hairs. They live in burrows, the entrance of which is covered with cobwebs. This huge spider lives in the tropical forests of Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, and northern Brazil. It feeds on various insects, rodents, frogs, lizards and even snakes. The life expectancy of females is 15-25 years, males - 3-6. These spiders are amazing in that they are able to make a hissing sound by rubbing their chelicerae; the ability to shake hairs from the abdomen into the enemy’s face, which cause swelling of the mucous membrane. The goliath tarantula also has large and sharp chelicerae (claws), with which it can bite very painfully. Their venom is not dangerous to humans; the symptoms are the same as after a bee sting.

Runner spider (soldier spider, banana spider, wandering spider) – Phoneutria

The Brazilian spider is the most poisonous spider in the world. The length of its body reaches 15 cm. The body is pubescent, gray-brown in color. He lives in Central and South America. The runner spider feeds on insects, frogs, lizards, and small birds. Lives in burrows, under leaf litter. But very often, secluded places in people’s homes become its home. It is often called banana because it is often found in boxes of bananas. These scary spiders have an incredibly toxic venom that causes instant death, which is why they are the most poisonous spiders in the world. Their venom contains the neurotoxin PhTx3, which paralyzes all muscles in the human body, causing suffocation and then death. Only 2-6 hours pass between the bite and death. Old people and children are most exposed to the runner spider's venom. Today there is a vaccine that neutralizes the effect of the poison, so if you are bitten by a spider, you should immediately consult a doctor.

As you can see, representatives of arachnids are so different: some of them are pleasing to the eye, while the sight of others makes your blood freeze, some you can pick up or have in your home as a pet, and some sow fear and bring instant death. Now you know which types of spiders are absolutely harmless and which ones you need to stay away from. The good news is that dangerous species spiders are not found in our area, but mainly in tropical countries. But you never know what can happen... Nature is absolutely unpredictable.