The biggest spiders in the world are also believed to be the most venomous.Spiders are often prey for other animals, but they are also predators themselves and can prey on animals like birds, insects, invertebrates, and mammals. Spiders are arachnids that can live in the wild as well as inside humans’ homes.It is quite a surprise to see the vast difference in the size of spiders that live in our attics compared to some of the biggest spiders that live in the wild, like the Goliath birdeater spider. The Goliath birdeater has a huge body with hairy legs and looks quite scary. This bird eating spider is one of the largest spiders in the world.After reading about the largest spiders living on the planet, be sure to check out our fun facts on how spiders mate, and if spiders hibernate, here on Kidadl.Is the world’s largest spider poisonous?The world’s largest spider, the Brazilian wandering spider, is a venomous spider species. The Brazilian wandering spider is quite similar to North American wolf spiders. The body of this large brown spider is big in both length and overall size.Another of the world’s biggest spiders are giant huntsman spiders. They are active hunters at most times, especially at night. These spiders are also known to travel a lot. The Brazilian wandering spider likes to crawl into cozy and comfortable places for the night.Because these big spiders like to crawl into cozy places to live, such as in flowers and fruits which people have grown in their gardens or on their farms, they are often discovered by humans. If you ever come across one of these large spiders and disturb them, it could become startled and possibly bite you in an attempt to protect itself. But don’t worry, not all spider’s bites are venomous, however, they might still hurt. In the case of venomous bites, the high serotonin content in the venom could be very poisonous and painful to humans and can even result in muscle shock.The Biggest Spiders In The WorldIf you suffer from arachnophobia, then you might want to avoid reading the next few paragraphs, or you might decide to be brave and increase your knowledge about the wild spider world. Always keep in mind that knowledge is power!Let us start the list of the biggest spiders in the world with Goliath birdeaters. The Goliath bird eater spider is a type of giant huntsman spider and is the largest spider in the world when measured by mass.The Goliath birdeater is a type of giant tarantula. This giant tarantula has hairs all over its body and is said to weigh around 6.2 oz (175 g). The bite of the Goliath birdeater can be as venomous as a wasp sting, and they deliver this venom with their large fangs. The barbed hairs on the body of these tarantulas are also a threat to humans as they can create itching and irritation of the skin and eyes if you happen to touch them.How dangerous are the world’s biggest spiders?A bite from the giant huntsman spider, which has venom in it, could result in a human needing hospitalization and medical care. A spider’s venom can create a lot of unpleasant side effects and symptoms.The world’s biggest spider, the Goliath birdeater, usually eats mice, lizards, invertebrates, or frogs for dinner. These big spiders are deadly predators to these animals. The Goliath birdeater is mainly found in the northern rainforest regions of South America.In 1965, The Guinness Book of World Records declared Theraphosa blondi, which is the scientific name for Goliath birdeaters, with a leg-span of 11 in (28 cm), to be the world’s biggest spiders by overall measurement. This species is mostly found in the regions of Guyana, coastal rainforest areas of Surinam, and is also reported to be found as isolated specimens or species in the regions of Brazil and Venezuela. This large spider is so big that it can even manage to eat birds for its dinner, hence the name Goliath birdeater.The World’s Largest Spider By Leg SpanWhile looking at overall spider size, the Goliath birdeater takes the top position of the biggest spider in the world by both mass and length. Their total body length could be up to 5.1 in (13 cm). But these Goliath birdeaters only come second in the category of leg span, with the giant huntsman spider taking first place.Each animal, insect, or bird has a leg span measurement. For a spider, the size of its leg span might be greater than its entire body size. When it comes to the biggest spiders in the world, the largest spider by leg span is the giant huntsman spider. The average body size of the giant huntsman spider is around 3.2 in (8 cm). At the same time, the leg span of this big spider is almost 12 in (30 cm). The legs of the giant huntsman spider are twisted and have a splayed orientation and this results in their crab-like walking pattern. But even if they walk like a crab, the world’s largest spider by leg span can be very fast. This fast speed is a trait which they have evolved in order to catch their prey in a quick and timely manner.How are they so big?Science has always had an element of mystery when it comes to the wild and natural world. You may have seen some of the largest animal skeletons and fossils in a museum, in exhibitions dedicated to the biggest wild predators and prey species.Looking at spider size, even the legs of these tarantulas seem to be quite big and scary, with lots of hairs all over them. But compared to an elephant, a blue whale, or other big animals on land and in the water, a spider would be considered a small, unassuming creature. However, if we look at the size difference between the normal spiders that make a web in our attics compared to the large spiders that can be found in the wild, then we would be astonished by the difference in size between each of the species. Research by some scientists suggests that climate change could also be a factor when it comes to the development in the size of the largest spiders in the world.Where are they found?You might be wondering where these nocturnal predators live. The nocturnal predator, the giant huntsman spider, makes its presence only in the regions of Laos and likes to hunt at night. But you can see spiders of the same variety, or the relatives of these largest spiders, in various places around the world with warm climates and temperatures.The Grammostola anthracina spider, of the tarantula species, is said to thrive in desert regions where it does its mating, and in scrub and grassland regions of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil. These spiders like to eat small insects and other invertebrates.Another species, the Hercules baboon spider, can be found in native areas in and around South America. Some of the spider species that we have discovered are well known for being aggressive as well as enormous. The Brazilian salmon pink birdeater is another large spider with huge hairs covering its body. They are frequently spotted in the rainforests of Brazil. The young spider of this species has a pink coloring all over its body. All of the bird-eating spider species have large legs in relation to their body size.Why are they so big?We can turn to science to get the answers to most of the questions regarding the natural world and nature. Sometimes, nature itself holds the answers to our largest and most complex questions.Some researchers claim that the temperature of the environment and certain climate conditions have influenced how these spiders have come to grow bigger and bigger. Some experts also suggest that it is genetic factors that make spiders grow bigger and that some spiders have these growth genes while others don’t. It could be that a combination of genetics, environment, and individual circumstances might all contribute to their capacity to grow. Nature and its mysteries can fascinate and intrigue us, but luckily we can find the answers to a lot of questions with the help and expertise of researchers and scientists.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you enjoyed this article about the world’s biggest spider, then why not take a look at whether spiders can sense danger or perhaps check out our fascinating Hercules baboon spider facts.
The biggest spiders in the world are also believed to be the most venomous.
