{"id":39785,"date":"2024-07-10T14:58:24","date_gmt":"2024-07-10T12:58:24","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/d5d3cf31-8f20-4dd4-b852-4b4cc52ce953"},"modified":"2024-07-10T16:27:34","modified_gmt":"2024-07-10T14:27:34","slug":"weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/rss_feed\/weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares\/","title":{"rendered":"Weirdest spiders in the world \u2013 arachnophobes look away, these freakish (but fascinating) arachnids could give you nightmares"},"content":{"rendered":"

Check out the weirdest spiders in the world, from the curiously-named ‘happy-bum spider’ to a fearsome species that eats its sexual partner <\/p>

By <\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 10 July 2024 at 12:58 PM<\/p>

\n\n

Spiders,<\/a> with their intricate webs and eerie appearances, have long fascinated and frightened humans. <\/strong><\/p>

Why are people scared of spiders?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
While many are familiar with the common house spider or the iconic tarantula<\/a>, the arachnid<\/a> world harbours some truly bizarre and astonishing species that defy conventional understanding.<\/p>
Join us as we delve into the strange and wonderful world of the weirdest spiders…<\/p>
The weirdest spiders in the world<\/h2>
Darwin\u2019s bark spider<\/h3>
By Matjazgregoric – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=47496534<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Seduction is an awkward game. Stakes are high, as is the suitor\u2019s vulnerability. But when the object of your desire is a ferocious predator that eats animals that look like you for breakfast, dating becomes a dance with death.<\/p>
This is particularly true of Darwin\u2019s bark spider<\/a> (Caerostris darwini<\/em>). The female is Goliath to his David; about 14 times his weight. To seduce her, the male must gingerly traverse her enormous web \u2013 a succession of tripwires designed to sense the slightest vibration \u2013 and copulate, all without triggering her attacking instinct. She\u2019s not averse to catching and eating her sexual suitors before, during or after sex.\u00a0Tough love…<\/p>
Why do females often live longer than males?<\/a><\/li><\/ul>
Diving bell spider\u00a0<\/h2>
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Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure>
This spider has its own diving helmet! The diving bell spider – so-named for the bubble of air that it creates within a web of silk – lives almost entirely underwater. It returns to the surface only to replenish the oxygen supply in its diving bell. Just hope no-one bursts its bubble…<\/p>
This is not the only bubble-creating animal \u2013 check out the weird queen parrotfish<\/a> and the water anole<\/a>.<\/p>
Fishing spider<\/h3>
$\"\"$
John Gould\u00a0john.gould@newcastle.edu.au.<\/figcaption><\/figure>
Did you know, there’s an Australian spider that uses its web as a fishing net<\/a> to catch its prey?<\/p>
Various species of these long-jawed orb-weavers are known to construct their webs near ponds and streams. But observations, such as those published in the journal\u00a0 Etholog<\/em>y<\/a>, show that at least one sets snares that are in direct contact with the water, allowing them to catch water striders and other insects<\/a> that live on the surface.<\/p>
Cork-lid trapdoor spider <\/h3>
<\/div><\/figure><p>It\u2019s always fun when you can\u2019t tell what kingdom something belongs to. Animal? Vegetable? Fungus? But in this case, it\u2019s not clear that it\u2019s even a form of life. A button? A manhole cover? A biscuit? The truth is, it\u2019s an animal \u2013 or a bit of one, at least.<\/p><p>The cork-lid trapdoor spider is an aptly-named (and very peculiar) arachnid that blocks the entrance of its burrow with an armoured shield on its rear to keep out predators and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/parasitic-wasps-white-butterflies\">parasitic wasps<\/a>. For obvious reasons, it also goes by the name of oreo spider, as well as Aztec coin spider and even happy-bum spider.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bark-spider\">Bark spider<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/Bark-spider.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104890\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>If there were a prize for the best impression of a grumpy toad doing an impression of a broken twig, this spider would surely be in the running. Bark spiders are remarkable not only for their exquisite camouflage, but also for the size and strength of their webs. A species discovered in Madagascar builds the biggest orb webs known \u2013 slung across rivers on supporting threads up to 25m long, to catch mayflies. The toady face is the spider\u2019s backside, which makes the impression even more impressive. <\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-tree-stump-orb-weaver\">Tree-stump orb-weaver<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/Tree-stump-orb-weaver-is-one-of-the-worlds-weirdest-spiders.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104831\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>If spiders ate zombies, we might see more disembodied forearms of the un-dead decorating silken webs. They don\u2019t, of course. What looks like a severed humanoid limb is the very spider that made the web. By day, this tree-stump orb-weaver sits motionless on a branch, where it convincingly passes for a snapped twig. Only with the arrival of darkness does it emerge from the safety of the undergrowth to spin its snare. And as daylight begins to break, it will dismantle its web and resume its twig-like pose on a nearby branch. SB<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-bird-dropping-spider\">Bird-dropping spider<\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/Bird-dropping-spider-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104895\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>Many invertebrates \u2013 including caterpillars, moths, mantids and spiders \u2013 go for the bird-poo look. Some sport a glistening finish, as if they have been freshly deposited, others appear crumbly and desiccated. Either way, it can be an effective disguise. Especially when the mimic pays as much attention to detail as this Phrynarachne crab spider in Borneo. <\/p><p>A particularly nice touch is the silken smear it spins on the leaf, which gives the impression of splattering on impact. Phrynarachne doesn\u2019t just look like a bird dropping; it smells like one, too. The disguise repels arachnid predators, while also attracting blowfly prey. <\/p><p>Goliath birdeater<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-video\"><video controls=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-1B02185_0001.mp4\"\/><\/figure><p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/biggest-spiders-in-the-world\">largest spider in the world<\/a>, the impressively named Goliath birdeater, earns it place on this list for its huge size and weight. Hailing from the rainforests of northern South America, this is the largest spider by both body mass (up to 175g) and by body length (13cm). <\/p><p>Its name derives from an 18th-century engraving that depicted a tarantula of a different species eating a <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/birds\/facts-about-hummingbirds\/\">hummingbird<\/a><\/strong>, which led to the entire<em>\u00a0Theraposa<\/em>\u00a0genus being called \u2018bird eaters\u2019. This species mainly feeds on worms,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/amphibians\/amphibian-vs-reptile-whats-the-difference\">amphibians<\/a> and<a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/largest-insects-in-the-world\">\u00a0large insects<\/a> \u2013 but, true to its name, it does also sometimes kill and eat birds.<\/p><h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-scorpion-tailed-spider\"><strong>Scorpion-tailed spider <\/strong><\/h3><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"661\" height=\"529\" src=\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/62\/2024\/07\/Scorpion-Tailed-Spider.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-104907\" style=\"width:837px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Credit: Getty images<\/figcaption><\/figure><p>This weird and aptly named spider looks like a scorpion-spider cross, thanks to the bizarre tail-like extension on the female’s abdomen. The tail is used to scare off potential predators.<\/p><p><strong>Discover more fascinating spiders<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/biggest-spiders-in-the-uk\">The biggest spiders in the UK: look for them in canals, gardens, ditches… and under your bed<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/scariest-spiders\">Scariest spiders: Discover some arachnids that may give some people the creeps<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.discoverwildlife.com\/animal-facts\/insects-invertebrates\/deadliest-spiders\">World’s most venomous spiders: Are these deadly spiders as fearsome as their reputation?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><p\/> <\/body><\/html>\n<hr class=\"no-tts wp-block-separator\"\/>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Check out the weirdest spiders in the world, from the curiously-named ‘happy-bum spider’ to a fearsome species that eats its sexual partner <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":39786,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"5"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/07\/weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/07\/weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/07\/weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/07\/weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/07\/weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/07\/weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/44\/2024\/07\/weirdest-spiders-in-the-world-arachnophobes-look-away-these-freakish-but-fascinating-arachnids-could-give-you-nightmares-2048x1366.jpg",2048,1366,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"Check out the weirdest spiders in the world, from the curiously-named 'happy-bum spider' to a fearsome species that eats its sexual partner","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/39785"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcwildlife\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}