Spiders often get a bad rap for being creepy crawly creatures, but some species are downright adorable with their big eyes, fluffy hairs, and tiny sizes. If you want to face your fear of spiders or are simply curious about these amazing little arachnids, discovering the cutest spider species is a great place to start.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: jumping spiders like the bold jumper and peacock spider are often considered the cutest species due to their inquisitive nature, fuzzy bodies, and vibrant colors.
In this article, we’ll explore some of the most endearing spider species that just might make you squeal “aww!” instead of “ahh!” We’ll cover what makes them so cute in terms of appearance, behavior, and their interactions with humans.
We’ll also share some cool facts about these itsy bitsy critters as we countdown the top 10 cutest spider species.
Jumping Spiders
Jumping spiders are some of the cutest and most fascinating spiders on Earth. With their big eyes, fuzzy bodies, and energetic personalities, these tiny acrobats have captured the hearts of arachnophiles and insect enthusiasts alike.
Of the over 5,000 described jumping spider species, two of the most adorable are the
Bold Jumper
and the mesmerizing
Peacock Spider
.
Bold Jumper
The aptly named Bold Jumper (Phidippus audax) is one of North America’s most common jumping spiders. These tiny daredevils have a distinct black and white pattern and grow to around 1/2 inch long. True to their name, Bold Jumpers bravely explore their surroundings and pounce up to 10 times their body length on prey.
Using their incredible vision afforded by their big front eyes, these agile hunters stalk and leap with astonishing accuracy.
Peacock Spider
Native to Australia, tiny Peacock Spiders display an incredible courtship dance to attract mates. Measuring only 5 to 6 mm, males of the aptly named Maratus volans species lift their vibrantly colored abdominal flaps and wave their pedipalps like peacock feathers.
Their intricate moves, set against the backdrop of the Australian bush, have captured the fascination of over ten million Youtube viewers.
From the adorably plucky Bold Jumper to the flamboyant Peacock Spider, jumping spiders showcase behaviors and appearances that endear them to arachnid aficionados and insect enthusiasts across the globe.
Orb Weavers
Orb weavers are a common family of spiders that spin intricate, circular webs. Two of the most colorful and charismatic orb weavers are the marbled orb weaver and the spiny orb weaver.
Marbled Orb Weaver
With its unique marbled pattern and vibrant colors, the marbled orb weaver (Araneus marmoreus) is considered one of the most beautiful spiders in the world. Native to the southeastern United States, this fascinating arachnid spins large, intricate webs that can measure over 2 feet across.
The marbled orb weaver’s abdomen features a stunning mosaic of gray, white, black, and orange markings that allows it to camouflage well among lichen and tree bark.
In addition to their beauty, marbled orb weavers are master web builders. Their orb-shaped webs have a distinctive zigzag pattern, called a stabilimentum, running through the center. This serves to both camouflage and strengthen the web.
The silk these spiders produce is exceptionally strong considering the marbled orb weaver’s small size, which ranges from 0.4 to 0.6 inches. Scientists believe the tripeptides in their silk’s protein structure give it great tensile strength and elasticity.
Marbled orb weavers rebuild new webs every night, taking them about 30 minutes to complete. They consume the old web to recycle the proteins. These solitary spiders tend to reside in a single location for most of their lifespan, repairing and improving the same web.
Though marbled orb weavers typically live for just one year, their intricate and enduring webs showcase their mastery of geometry and industry.
Spiny Orb Weaver
With numerous spikes and bright colors, the aptly named spiny orb weaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis) presents an eye-catching sight. Despite their fierce appearance, these tiny spiders are harmless to humans.
Ranging from 0.2 to 0.4 inches long, spiny orb weavers inhabit tropical and subtropical forests around the world.
The spiny orb weaver’s abdomen has six prominent spikes, giving them a crab-like shape. Their coloration varies greatly, with hues of yellow, white, orange, and black. This variation likely helps them camouflage among flowers and lichen.
Though they may appear formidable, the six spikes are not venomous or sharp enough to pose any real danger.
True to their name, spiny orb weavers construct intricate, circular webs up to 2 feet wide. The outer portions of the web feature a unique zigzag stabilimentum. As with other orb weavers, the stabilimentum likely serves to strengthen the web and camouflage the spider.
Spiny orb weavers tend to build their webs in shrubs or trees in moderately dense vegetation. A single spider may reuse the same web for its entire lifespan of about one year.
Despite their tiny size and harmless nature, spiny orb weavers can capture fairly large prey in their sticky webs, including grasshoppers, beetles, butterflies, and other spiders. Their colorful patterns and spiky shapes may seem to warn predators of danger, but these tiny arachnids are among the most harmless in their order.
Other Notable Cuties
Furry Pink Toe Tarantula
With a name like the Furry Pink Toe Tarantula, how could this spider not be cute? These little spiders are absolutely adorable with their plush pink feet. Despite having a legspan of 4-5 inches, these spiders are total sweethearts who enjoy being handled.
Furry Pink Toe Tarantulas originate from tropical and humid regions of Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama. They got their name from the fluffy pink hairs on the tips of their legs. These hairs act like tiny cushions on their feet!
Many tarantula enthusiasts love having Furry Pink Toes as pets because they are so docile and low-maintenance.
Dwarf Spider
Dwarf spiders are teeny-tiny little arachnids with big personalities! There are over 200 species of dwarf spiders, but they all share some common traits like their petite size (2-4 mm) and compact, rounded abdomens. These itsy-bitsy spiders are seriously cute.
Some of the most popular dwarf spider species kept as pets are the Oonopid spiders, also known as Goblin spiders. They earned this nickname because of their endearingly odd appearance. Dwarf spiders are found worldwide in many different habitats from rainforests to deserts.
Their diminutive size makes them adept hunters of even smaller insects and invertebrates.
Zebra Spider
With their distinctive black and white striped pattern, Zebra spiders are aptly named for their resemblance to their equine namesake. These tiny jumping spiders have vibrant markings on their abdomens that resemble a mini zebra! Zebra spiders measure only 5-7 mm but contain oodles of cuteness.
They are found throughout the tropics and subtropics worldwide. One of the most popular species is the Zebra spider from Hawaii. These spiders use their excellent eyesight and jumping skills to hunt small insects. Zebra spiders are solitary creatures who like to bask on sun-warmed rocks and leaves.
Their vibrant colors warn potential predators to keep away!
Green Lynx Spider
With its vivid green coloration and adorable large eyes, the Green Lynx spider is a totally cute and captivating arachnid. These spiders get their name from the remarkable green hue covering their legs and bodies.
This bright color acts as camouflage when the spider waits patiently on leaves and stems to ambush insect prey. Green Lynx spiders have distinctive long spiny legs and can grow up to 18-20 mm. They are widespread across North America and parts of South America.
The Green Lynx is a stealthy hunter with excellent vision to detect prey movement from far away. Their enormous shiny green eyes are part of what makes them so cute!
Goliath Birdeater Tarantula
You might be surprised to find the world’s largest spider on a list of cutest spider species. But the Goliath Birdeater Tarantula has a certain charm with its fluffy legs and teddy bear-like appearance. Despite having a legspan up to 12 inches, these gentle giants have a docile nature.
Birdeater Tarantulas got their name from an 18th century exaggeration that they could eat whole birds! In reality, they prefer to eat insects, mice and frogs. These hairy spiders originate from northern South America.
Many arachnid enthusiasts enjoy keeping Goliath Birdeaters as pets due to their laidback personality that counteracts their scary reputation.
Conclusion
While all spiders play an important role in their ecosystems, only some species make us melt with their charming looks and behaviors. Hopefully this list of the cutest spider species has helped overcome some of the stigma against these amazing creatures.
Next time you see a spider, take a closer look at its unique features before grabbing a tissue!
Which of these cute spiders is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!