Australia leads the world in its number of resident venomous spiders as well as the strength of their toxicity. However, of almost 9,800 species (only about 3,100 species are named) of spiders in 70 families throughout the country, most are perfectly harmless.
The Amazon Rainforest is home to some amazing animals that cannot be found anywhere else. According to Rainforest Cruises, there are over 3,000 species of spider found in the Amazon alone, all of them spectacular in their own right.
The giant huntsman spider (Heteropoda maxima) is a species of the huntsman spider family Sparassidae found in Laos. It is considered the world's largest spider by leg span, which can reach up to 30 cm (1 ft).
There are 91 species of spider in Iceland—none of which are poisonous to humans— plus the occasional visitor or migrant. This is a small number, compared with 44,000 species known worldwide.
The Sydney funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus) is the most dangerous spider on the planet. This species is native to eastern Australia. The Sydney funnel-web spider is considered deadly because its venom kills within 15 minutes.
Fried spider is a regional snack in Cambodia. In the Cambodian town of Skuon (Cheung Prey, Kampong Cham Province), the vending of fried spiders as a specialty snack is a popular attraction for tourists passing through this town.
There are only a handful of locations on earth where spiders cannot be found. Among these areas are the world's oceans (though some spiders have adapted to life on shorelines and shallow bodies of freshwater), polar regions, like the arctic and Antarctica, and at extreme altitudes of tall mountains.
Australia leads the world in its number of resident venomous spiders as well as the strength of their toxicity. However, of almost 9,800 species (only about 3,100 species are named) of spiders in 70 families throughout the country, most are perfectly harmless.
Aside from gigantic spiders such as tarantulas, it is not surprising that birds are top predators to almost all species of spiders (including sparrows, blackbirds, crows, bluebirds, and wrens). Some of the most common birds in the United States, such as robins, eat spiders daily.
The spider lifespan can vary as much as the spider life cycle. Most spiders live about two years, but some have been known to live up to 20 years when in captivity. Female spiders tend to live longer than male spiders. Many male spiders reach maturity within two years and die after mating.
Belonging to the Symphytognathidae family, Patu digua is a fascinating species. Its male is petite, measuring only 0.43mm, making it the smallest known spider species.
The speediest spider on Earth is the desert-dwelling Moroccan flic-flac spider (Cebrennus rechenbergi), which can reach speeds of up to 1.7 m/s (3.8 mph) when trying to escape predators.
There are more than 45,000 known species of spiders, found in habitats all over the world.
House spiders tend to live in quiet, hidden spaces where they can find food and water. Spots that are not fully visible or that have a lot of clutter make it easy for spiders to hide. This is why you will often find spiders in storage spaces, garages, eaves, sheds, light fixtures, and forested areas.
Spiders save us from the world's deadliest animal
Spiders mostly eat insects, which helps control their populations. Their webs – especially big, intricate ones like our orb weavers' – are particularly adept at catching small flying insects such as mosquitos.
Spiders were among the earliest animals to live on land, probably evolving about 400 million years ago. Spiders probably evolved about 400 million years ago from thick-waisted arachnid ancestors that were not long emerged from life in water.
Spiders commonly found in Canadian homes include house spiders, wolf spiders, cellar spiders, fishing spiders, and (much less often) black widow spiders. They are usually found in corners of rooms, closets, boxes, dark crevices, basements, garages, and gardens.
Brazilian wandering spider
The Guinness Book of World Records considers the Brazilian wandering spider the most venomous in the world. Hundreds of bites are reported annually, but a powerful anti-venom prevents deaths in most cases.
The Australian funnel-web spiders (families Hexathelidae, Atracidae, Macrothelidae and Porrhothelidae), such as the Sydney funnel-web spider Atrax robustus (a mygalomorph spider not to be confused with the araneomorph funnel-weaver or grass spiders) are regarded as among the most venomous in the world.
Discovered in 2001, the giant huntsman spider lives in the caves of Laos. They are known as the giant crab spiders and have a leg span of up to five inches. The giant huntsman spider can grow to be 12 inches across, which is larger than a human head.
The funnel web “classically speaking” is considered the world's deadliest spider because it “kills so quickly”. “In terms of speed of death, in Australia we say funnel web, 15 minutes, no sweat,” Raven said. “With a funnel web bite to the torso, you're dead. No other spider can claim that reputation.”