South Africa’s Creepiest Crawlies: 5 Spindly Spiders

I want to introduce you to five of the spookiest spiders you can find in South Africa. When I saw these creepy crawlies for myself, I couldn’t help but be amazed by their uniqueness and beauty!

Giant Rain Spider (Pamphobeteus Nigricolor)

You won’t believe the size of this spider! With a leg span of up to 10 inches, it’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. But don’t be scared – this amazing arachnid prefers to hide away in burrows and rarely comes out to greet humans.

Cape Rain Spider (Palystes Superciliosus)

Have you ever seen a spider with horns? Meet the Cape Rain Spider! This quirky critter has two horn-like projections on its head. Although it may look intimidating, it’s actually harmless to humans. Just keep an eye out for its impressive web-building skills!

Baboon Spider (Harpactirinae)

Imagine coming across a spider with fangs as long as a snake’s! That’s what you’ll find with the Baboon Spider. Fortunately, its venom is not deadly to humans. These fascinating creatures are masters of camouflage and use their burrows to catch small prey.

Black Widow (Latrodectus Indistinctus)

The Black Widow is famous for its dangerous bite, but don’t fret – it’s not as scary as it seems. While their venom can be harmful, they usually only bite in self-defense. These glossy black spiders are known for their distinctive red hourglass markings.

Golden Silk Orb-Weaver (Nephila Inaurata)

This spider is a true artist when it comes to web design. The Golden Silk Orb-Weaver spins a stunning golden web that can be up to 1 meter in diameter! Don’t worry, though – its bite is harmless to humans, so you can admire its intricate web without fear.

So there you have it – South Africa’s spookiest spiders. The next time you come across one of these amazing creatures, take a moment to appreciate their beauty and complexity. They may be creepy, but they’re also an important part of our natural world.

I want to tell you about some of the creepy crawlers that call South Africa their home. South Africa is a country with its own special mix of plants and animals. While it has some beautiful and amazing creatures, it also has its fair share of scary insects. One type of insect that comes to mind is the spider. In South Africa, you can find some particularly unsettling spiders. Let me tell you about five of them.

1. Baboon Spider

If you think tarantulas are scary, wait until you meet their lesser-known cousin, the baboon spider. Native to Southern Africa, this subspecies of tarantula is a formidable predator. With its sneaky ambush tactics, the baboon spider preys on insects, scorpions, and even small reptiles. In fact, there are a whopping 900 different species of baboon spider, with 42 of them calling Southern Africa home.

2. Violin Spider

Have you ever heard of the violin spider? It’s an interesting species that likes to keep to itself and would rather run away than bite. However, if it does bite, you should pay attention because its bites can be quite powerful. The venom of the violin spider is very toxic and can cause a lot of damage. In fact, the wound left by the venom is so bad that it often requires surgery to treat. Violin spiders are commonly found in South Africa.

3. Black widow

Latrodectus indistinctus is one of the most well-known species of black widow spiders found in South Africa. Take a look at the picture above to see what they look like. These spiders stand out because of their black round abdomen with a red hourglass-shaped marking on it.

Now, let me tell you something interesting about these spiders. They have a venom that is very toxic to humans. If you get bitten by a black widow spider, it’s important to seek medical help right away. The venom can cause serious harm to your body, and you need to be treated with anti-venom in the hospital.

Black widows love to live in dark places, and you can find them all over South Africa. Some people also call them button spiders because of their round shape. But here’s something interesting: only female black widows have fangs that are long enough to bite humans!

4. Sac Spider

Did you know that the sac spider is an aggressive spider that bites fearlessly? In fact, it’s responsible for about 75% of spider bites in South Africa. What’s even more unsettling is that this spider is quite content to make itself at home inside your own house. Its venom is powerful and can cause damage to your body, so if you get bitten, you’ll need antibiotics to treat the bite.

5. Golden silk orb-weaver

Did you know that in South Africa, there are spiders that create the most beautiful and exceptionally large webs? Some of these webs can stretch out to an impressive two meters in length! These spiders are appropriately named after the color of the silk they spin. Despite their imposing size, they are actually quite harmless and non-aggressive. If you happen to get bitten, you may experience some redness and swelling, but nothing more serious than that.

It’s worth noting that the female spiders are considerably larger than their male counterparts. The females can grow to be around 50mm in size, while the males are usually about two-thirds smaller. These marvelous spiders can be found all across South Africa, so keep your eyes peeled!

Take a look at some stunning pictures of these spiders on Flickr Commons. They’re definitely a sight to behold!

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