Spiders are creepy and can make someone’s skin crawl. However, have you ever imagined how daunting it would be to come across some of the world’s most enormous spiders, with some even as big as your face or bigger than a dinner plate? From the dense rainforests of South America to the arid expanses of the Australian outback, these creatures span the globe, each boasting an impressive size that commands attention. Dive deep into our list and get ready to be mesmerized by some of the world’s biggest eight-legged creatures!
Goliath Bird-Eating Tarantula
The Goliath bird-eating tarantula is considered to be the biggest tarantula in the world. Just as its name suggests, it can eat birds, frogs, lizards, mice, and anything smaller than it is. Its body measures up to 4.75 inches to 12 centimeters, but its leg span can go as high as 11 inches or 27 centimeters!
Brazilian Salmon Pink Bird-Eating Tarantula
This tarantula species is endemic to North Eastern Brazil and is largely considered the third to fourth-largest tarantula in the world. Its leg span grows anywhere between 9 and 11 inches, but it usually only reaches between 8 and 9 inches.
Giant Huntsman Spider
There are 94 described species of the huntsman spiders. However, the Heteropoda maxima, or the giant huntsman spider, is one of the biggest and fastest. An average huntsman spider species can grow to about one inch. However, a giant huntsman spider has a leg span of up to 12 inches—making it bigger than your average dinner plate!
Brazilian Giant Tawny Red Tarantula
Though named the Brazilian giant tawny red tarantula, this spider is actually found in other countries, such as Paraguay, Argentina, and Uruguay. It’s an all-brown tarantula that has a leg span of around nine inches. It’s a large, hairy, and venomous spider that’s considered to be very docile.
King Baboon Spider
King baboon spiders are considered to be cousins of the Goliath bird-eating tarantula, but they hail from Kenya and Tanzania. They are slightly smaller than their cousins, with leg spans measuring up to eight inches. Apart from its size, the king baboon spider is infamous for its aggressive and violent behavior, especially when catching its prey.
Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula
The Chaco golden knee tarantula’s legs can grow as long as eight inches, making it appear formidable and intimidating. However, contrary to its large size, the Chaco golden knee tarantula is actually a very docile spider.
Face-Sized Tarantula
As its name implies, the face-sized tarantula can grow as big as a human face. This venomous spider species was first discovered in a remote Sri Lankan village, but due to dwindling forests, they are becoming extremely rare. Their legs can grow as long as eight inches, too.
Colombian Giant Tarantula
This tarantula species is notorious for its size, beauty, and incredibly calm and docile nature. It is native to the tropical rainforests of Colombia and thrives in temperatures between 24 and 29 Celcius. Female Colombian giant tarantulas can reach up to eight inches when fully grown.
Brazilian Wandering Spiders
Aside from its size, the Brazilian wandering spider, also called the banana spider, is notorious for being one of the world’s most venomous spiders. Without being administered an antivenom, a bite from this deadly spider can be fatal even to humans, especially children. These spiders’ bodies can grow more than one inch, while their leg spans can reach around five or six inches.
Sand-Dwelling Huntsman Spider
This spider is commonly found in sand dunes in Jordan or Israel. It’s a pretty large spider, with a leg span reaching up to five or five and a half inches. Because of the desert’s heat, they have evolved to become nocturnal species.
Giant Blue Bloom Tarantula
These spiders are typically found anywhere in Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia, and other neighboring countries in South America. Like other spider species, female giant blue bloom tarantulas grow slightly bigger than their male counterpart, reaching up to seven inches in length. These are very beautiful and unique spiders with fantastic color patterns that include purple, pink, blue, and black hues.
Colombian Lesserblack Tarantula
The Colombian lesserblack tarantula is a terrestrial spider species. It is stunning, dominantly black, but with metallic pink patterns and hairs. Adult Colombian lesserblack tarantulas can grow between seven and eight inches.
Camel Spider
Due to their unique features, camel spiders are sometimes called wind scorpions or Egyptian giant solpugids. They are carnivorous spiders that often prey on rodents, small birds, lizards, and insects. Camel spiders aren’t deadly to humans, but their bites pack a punch! These spiders grow to about 6 inches and weigh around 50 grams.
Golden Silk Orb Weavers
Golden silk orb weavers are usually found in Florida and other Southeastern states. If provoked, especially when held or pinched, they will bite. However, a golden silk orb weaver’s bite isn’t deadly and would only produce localized pain and redness that would go away relatively quickly. Male golden silk orb weavers are small, but females can grow up to six inches long.
Costa Rican Zebra Tarantula
At a maximum leg span of six inches, Costa Rican zebra tarantulas are a far cry from the Goliath bird-eating tarantula. Nevertheless, their size and features are enough to make you cower in fear. Even so, these are very gentle and shy tarantulas, meaning they can be kept as pets.
Desert Blond Tarantula
The desert blond tarantula is a venomous spider. However, it has very mild venom and can be considered a docile pet. This spider species can grow to have a four-inch leg span.
Mexican Blood Leg Tarantula
This spider is called a blood leg tarantula because of the distinct coloration of its legs. The Mexican blood leg tarantula has a very long life span, with females living for 40 years or more. It has a maximum leg span of five inches and loves eating roaches and crickets.
Giant Crab Spider
Although giant crab spiders’ bodies are relatively small, they have long legs spanning up to five inches! Additionally, they are called crab spiders because of the way they run—sideways!
California Ebony Tarantula
California ebony tarantulas have excellent temperaments. They are calm, docile, and usually harmless to people, so they’re considered very popular pets. Though they are not as big as other tarantulas on this list, they are still relatively large, with a maximum leg span of five inches.
Daddy Longlegs
These spiders are a lot smaller than other spiders on the list. Even so, thanks to their legs measuring up to three or more inches, they’re still considered relatively bigger spiders than others. Their legs are long but extremely thin, so they don’t appear as big and intimidating as other spiders. According to Smithsonian Magazine, though, an extremely rare 13-inch daddy longlegs was discovered in Laos.
