6 Chaco Golden Knee Spider: 8.5 Inches

The Chaco golden knee spider, as its name suggests, can be easily spotted by the yellow markings around the knee joints. These arachnids can become as big as seven to eight and a half inches or 20 to 22 centimeters.

Scientifically named Grammostola pulchripes, the Chaco golden knee spider is one of the larger species of tarantulas. In Latin, the species name, pulchripes, refers to its “beautiful feet” that contain yellow markings around the knee joints. Its body, on the other hand, is black or dark brown in color.

Since it is a terrestrial organism, it is known to have a heavy body. But curiously, their large size isn’t the only reason one might want to give them a wide berth. These eight-legged beings, like other members of their genus, also have rather large fangs. Nevertheless, they are still considered calm and docile enough to make attractive pets for beginners.

These spiders also appear to have only rudimentary eyesight and use their setae (bristle-like structures on the body) to pick up vibrations from the air and ground. Outside captivity, the spiders can be spotted in the grasslands of Paraguay and Argentina, in South America. (1, 2)

7 Queensland Whistling Tarantula: 8.7 Inches

Native to Australia, the Queensland whistling tarantula is certainly the stuff of nightmares. These spiders can go up to 8.7 inches or 22 centimeters in leg span, making them bigger than a person’s hand.

If you’re in Australia and you hear a rattling sound near you, you might think it’s just a good old rattlesnake. However, you may want to check again!

The Queensland whistling tarantula or barking spider (Selenocosmia crassipes), is a large spider that sounds like a rattlesnake when poised to attack. This is because it can create a peculiar noise through stridulation to deter its predators. So, while making this noise, the spider can be seen rubbing the setae near its chelicerae or “jaws” together.

Fortunately, their bites are not said to be fatal. But don’t let that make you think they’re just all bark and no bite! If provoked, these spiders are perfectly capable of delivering painful nips that can cause hours of vomiting, irritation, and swelling.

These spiders can also attain sizes of up to 8.7 inches (22 centimeters) in leg span, making them one of the world’s largest spider species. But despite their remarkable sizes, they are said to be shy, preferring to stay close to their burrows. (1, 2)

8 Brazilian Salmon Pink Birdeater: 10 Inches

With a leg span of up to ten inches, the Brazilian salmon pink birdeater is anything but small. They’re also known to be fast-growing creatures, growing up to six inches in diameter in just the first year of life.

They might be called “birdeaters,” but rest assured, the Brazilian salmon pink tarantulas (Lasiodora parahybana) do not voraciously consume birds. Nevertheless, meeting one in the wild might not be the best idea. This is because they are agile hunters and can move around quite swiftly.

This beast, with its unique salmon pink leg hairs, is native to the Atlantic forests of South America, predominantly in Brazil. At about ten inches (25 centimeters) of leg span, these creatures are also some of the biggest spiders in the world.

Similar to most tarantulas, they prefer to hunt down their prey. However, this species tends to stay outside their dens more while hunting, unlike others of their kind.

They’re known to be ambush predators and once they catch a prey, they are quick to inject venom into the soon-to-be meal and paralyze it. Then, it releases fluids to partially digest the meal before drawing it into their bodies.

Although they are not considered critically endangered, experts do believe that their natural habitat is under threat due to deforestation. (1, 2)

9 Goliath Birdeater: 12 Inches

The Goliath birdeater is the second largest spider in leg span, but despite their names, they rarely eat birds. This is because the name comes from an 18th-century engraving of a tarantula eating a bird, rather than any observed behavior.

The Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi) is second to only one other spider species in leg span. However, it is still the largest spider ever in terms of body size.

It weighs about six ounces (175 grams) and has a body length of 5.1 inches (13 centimeters). In leg span, it can go up to about a foot (12 inches or 30 centimeters), making it puppy-sized.

This giant, however, is known for being shy. Their bites are also not fatal to humans, having the potency of just a wasp sting. But when threatened, they can still fling their urticating hair around, causing irritation and itching in large mammals.

The Goliath birdeater is native to the South American rainforests where it feeds on insects, lizards, and more. These creatures are also one of the few edible spiders out there, with their taste profiles reportedly resembling “smoky prawns.” (1, 2)

10 Giant Huntsman Spider: 12 Inches

The giant huntsman spider is the world’s biggest spider by leg span. This species of spiders can have a leg span of up to 12 inches (30 centimeters), making them as big as a dinner plate.

Large and fast are perhaps the two qualities you’d never want to see in a spider. But the giant huntsman spider (Heteropoda maxima) is as big as a dinner plate and also frighteningly quick on its feet.

Huntsman spiders are found in various parts of the world, including Asia, Africa, and Australia. But this particular gigantic arachnid was only first discovered in a cave in Laos, in 2001. However, very few people are said to have actually seen this behemoth of a spider.

One way to tell a huntsman spider apart is by their unusual limb placements. Nicknamed “giant crab spiders,” huntsman spiders are known to have legs that are splayed out like those of a crab, rather than being jointed vertically. And being a true huntsman, the giant huntsman spider also displays this characteristic.

Similar to other huntsman spiders, this spider is also unlikely to be dangerous to humans. However, it’s best to leave them alone in the wild because their venom can still cause mild headaches and nausea. (1, 2)