Though they may be scary to some people, spiders are among Earth’s most brightly colored creatures. They’re also highly useful, as they eat a wide variety of bugs that we consider to be pests. We’ll introduce you to some spectacular and beautiful spiders from around the globe.
Here’s our list of the world’s most colorful spiders:
1. Peacock Spider
- Latin name: Maratus volans
- Habitat: Many different habitat types across Australia
- Size: About 0.2 inches long
- Diet: Mostly other spiders and insects
- Colorful feature: Males have very brightly colored abdomens. When displaying for a female, the male can raise his abdomen much like a peacock fans its feathers. The abdomen looks circular, and it is patterned in bright blue, red, black, and sometimes yellow-orange.
As you might guess from their bright abdomens, these spiders have very complex courtship displays. However, females are much more communicative than in some other species. If a female peacock spider is not interested in a male’s courtship display, she can send a signal indicating her lack of interest. If the male continues despite the signal, the female may sometimes attack and eat him. It’s worth noting that the name “peacock spider” is often used to describe other members of the Maratus genus.
2. Two-Striped Jumper
- Latin name: Telamonia dimidiata
- Habitat: Mostly tropical rainforests in Asia
- Size: Females grow up to 0.43 inches long, while males grow up to 0.35 inches
- Diet: Mostly smaller insects
- Colorful feature: Both males and females are colorful, although they look very different. Females have a primarily white body with two bright red stripes. Males have much darker bodies that are sometimes close to black in color, and their two stripes are bright white.
This spider has become internet famous for the wrong reasons. Multiple times, it has been pictured in emails and social media posts that say it’s a deadly spider that lurks under toilet seats. Some of these hoaxes incorrectly say that its scientific name is Arachnius gluteus, which translates to “butt spider.” The hoax has been going off and on since it began as a chain email in 1999. It has most recently been seen circulating on Facebook in 2019.
3. Signature Spider
- Latin name: Argiope anasuja
- Habitat: Various parts of Sri Lanka, India, Pakistan, the Maldives, and the Seychelles
- Size: Females grow up to about 0.5 inches long, while males grow to about 0.2 inches
- Diet: Smaller insects that become caught in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders have dark brownish bodies with pale yellow stripes. Their legs also appear to be banded with yellow and dark brown.
This spider is one of the world’s many species of orb-weaver spiders, or spiders that weave circular webs. And despite the fact that they are very common in their range, these spiders engage in a lot of cannibalism. After mating, females eat the males. And after the eggs hatch in the egg sac, the newly hatched spiders will eat one another until the sac is broken.
4. Wide-Jawed Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Parabathippus shelfordi
- Habitat: Multiple habitat types in Borneo
- Size: Males grow to about 0.3 inches long, while females grow to about 0.3 inches long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders have an unusual appearance that makes them look as though they are made of translucent amber. They are also marked by a smattering of darker spots.
As you can probably see from the collection of spiders on this list, many of the world’s most colorful spiders are jumping spiders. In terms of pure color, wide-jawed jumping spiders may not be the absolute brightest, but their shimmering translucence makes them stand out from the rest. The wide-jawed jumping spider also seems to have another color palette entirely; most jumping spiders have a base color of black or dark brown, and this one is considerably lighter.
5. Lean Lynx Spider
- Latin name: Oxyopes macilentus
- Habitat: Primarily grasslands and rice fields in Australia and various parts of Asia
- Size: Females grow to 0.39 inches long, while males grow to 0.35 inches
- Diet: Various types of invertebrates, including other spider species
- Colorful feature: These spiders come in a range of colors. They can be a striking bright yellow as shown in the picture, but they also can be green, orange, or pale white with a pattern of multicolored lines.
These colorful spiders are a bit different from some other species in that they don’t rely on webs to catch prey. Instead, they are active predators that will chase down and kill prey they find in grasses and other types of vegetation. The term “lynx spider” can be used to describe many different members of the Oxyopes genus, but as you can see in the picture, this particular species is especially colorful.
6. Java Yellow-Kneed Tarantula
- Latin name: Selenocosmia javanensis
- Habitat: Various habitat types across the Malay Peninsula
- Size: About 1.7 inches long
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders are primarily brown to black in color, but their knees and joints are marked with surprisingly bright yellow to pink lines.
These unusual-looking tarantulas may not be the most common, but they are still sometimes kept by hobbyists. They are not necessarily the best spiders for beginners, though. Unlike some other tarantula species, they move very quickly and tend to be aggressive.
7. Giant Golden Orb Weaver
- Latin name: Nephila pilipes
- Habitat: Mostly forests and gardens in Oceania, East Asia, and Southeast Asia
- Size: Females can reach about 2 inches long, while males can reach up to about 0.2 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders are primarily a dark brownish yellow with brighter yellow stripes. The legs are often banded with yellow. Their bellies have a starker contrast; they appear black with bright yellow accents.
Of the spider species on the list, these ones show one of the greatest size differences between females and males. There’s an evolutionary reason for this; the females invest a good bit of energy and time into raising young, and their large body size allows them to lay more eggs.
8. Pancorius Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Pancorius magnus
- Habitat: Various habitat types in Taiwan, India, Nepal, and Vietnam
- Size: Less than 0.1 inches long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: While these spiders have a largely brown body, they can also have bands of sky blue and white along the legs (as seen in the picture).
Pancorius is really a genus of spiders, but Pancorius Magnus is one of the best known of them. It’s one of the smallest species of jumping spiders, so if you want to get a good look at all of its colors, you’ll probably need a magnifying glass or a camera with a zoom lens!
9. Spinybacked Orb Weaver
- Latin name: Gasteracantha cancriformis
- Habitat: Various habitat types in the Americas and in India
- Size: Females can grow to be 0.35 inches long and 0.51 inches wide. The males are not as wide, and they can reach about 0.12 inches long
- Diet: Different types of insects
- Colorful feature: The females of this species are the most colorful; most have a bright yellow back with darker spines around the edges. However, you can sometimes find them in white with red spines, or with a bright red back instead.
If you see one spinybacked orb-weaver, you’ll probably see another close by. Unlike some other species, this one lives in colonies of hundreds or even thousands of spiders. Its colonies usually can be found on the edge of other spider colonies.
10. Christmas Spider
- Latin name: Austracantha minax
- Habitat: Various habitat types across Australia
- Size: Females can grow up to 0.47 inches, while males can grow up to 0.2 inches
- Diet: Smaller insects that become caught in their webs
- Colorful feature: This spider is sometimes called the jewel spider thanks to its patterns. It usually has a black base color that is patterned with orange, yellow, or white. The exact pattern varies between individuals.
These spiders look a lot like the spinybacked orb-weaver at first glance; their brightly colored bodies have six sharp spines extending outward. They are most common in the warmer months of the year. In Australia, those warmer months are in December and January. Consequently, this species has come to be known as the Christmas spider.
11. Australian Peacock Spider
- Latin name: Maratus splendens
- Habitat: Many habitat types in Australia, primarily in Victoria, western Australia, and New South Wales
- Size: Around 0.2 inches long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Like Maratus Volans, the other species of peacock spider mentioned, this species has a peacock-like courtship display. The colorful abdomen is mostly blue, and it is patterned with red or other bright colors.
This spider species is so brightly colored that its scientific name was originally Maratus rainbowi. Though its colors are somewhat drab in day-to-day life, males displaying for females offer a burst of color.
12. Daring Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Phidippus audax
- Habitat: Open areas in the United States, the southern part of Canada, and parts of Central America
- Size: Females can grow up to 0.7 inches long, while males can reach 0.6 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects it catches by active hunting
- Colorful feature: These spiders have distinctive mouth parts that are an iridescent blue or green. Their bodies are black with orange, white, red, or yellow spots.
As you can probably guess from the name, the daring jumping spider is one of the more inquisitive jumping spider types. And despite its curiosity, it rarely bites humans. Though its bite doesn’t present a serious threat to health, it can cause itching, pain, and discomfort.
13. Bearded Foot Spider
- Latin name: Saitis barbipes
- Habitat: Houses and rocks across the Mediterranean region
- Size: Females can grow up to 0.22 inches, while males can grow to 0.16 inches
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Males of this species are the most colorful. They have bright green eyes, and their bodies are striped with white and reddish brown. It also has a pair of legs used for a courtship display. These legs are primarily red with tufts of white at the end.
This unusually-colored jumping spider enjoys the distinction of being Europe’s brightest jumping spider. But like many other species, females have a more drab brown coloring that allows them to camouflage.
14. Giant Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Hyllus diardi
- Habitat: Various habitat types across Java, Myanmar, India, Thailand, and Laos
- Size: Females can reach about 0.6 inches long, while males will appear slightly smaller
- Diet: Various types of insects that they hunt (as opposed to catching in webs)
- Colorful feature: Spiders of this species, especially when they’re less hairy, have brilliantly metallic bodies with purplish legs and gold-tinged heads.
These spiders have been described as the world’s largest jumping spiders. However, despite the distinction, they are still less than an inch long. Interestingly enough, its genus name comes from Greek mythology: Hyllus was the son of Heracles and Deianira.
15. Goldenrod Crab Spider
- Latin name: Misumena vatia
- Habitat: Primarily forested areas across North America and Europe
- Size: Females can grow to be 0.35 inches long, while males can be 0.16 inches long
- Diet: Mostly insects, and often insects larger than the spiders themselves
- Colorful feature: These spiders can be either white or yellow. Their color can change depending on their primary hunting area. If they hunt for prey among goldenrods or other yellow flowers, they will usually be yellow. On the other hand, if they primarily hunt among daisies, they tend to be white.
This spider species is able to take down much larger insects thanks to its venom. The venom immobilizes the target insect. But if you happen to be bitten by one, don’t worry; the venom is harmless to people.
16. Mexican Fireleg
- Latin name: Brachypelma boehmei
- Habitat: Scrubby areas in Mexico’s state of Guerrero
- Size: Up to 6 inches long
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: This spider has legs that can range from brilliant orange to a rust-like color. The center of the body is the same color, and it contrasts with the rest of the spider’s deep black body.
This striking and large tarantula is an endangered species in Mexico despite the fact that it is a relatively common pet. Though Mexican law still allows the collection of spiders from their natural habitat (you need a permit to do so), most enthusiasts recommend purchasing captive-bred tarantulas instead.
17. Shiny Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Cosmophasis umbratica
- Habitat: Usually areas with relatively low vegetation in South Asia and Southeast Asia
- Size: Males grow up to about 0.3 inches long, and females reach about 0.2 inches
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Female spiders have an iridescent greenish head, but males have a green and black iridescent body along with iridescent white and silver markings.
Though the males of these species are brilliantly colored enough as is, they also have the ability to reflect ultraviolet light. This has a significant evolutionary advantage, as they are able to appear more attractive to females without drawing the attention of predators.
18. Orchard Spider
- Latin name: Leucauge venusta
- Habitat: Various habitat types in South Asia, the southern part of Canada, and the eastern coast of both the United States and Colombia
- Size: Between about 0.1 inches and 0.3 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects caught in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders have bright green legs, a silvery top, and neon spots toward the abdomen. These spots can be red, orange, or yellow.
From a distance, the orchard spider looks fairly nondescript. However, upon closer inspection, it’s actually one of the most colorful spiders on the list!
19. Brazilian Wandering Spider
- Latin name: Phoneutria sp.
- Habitat: Forested areas in Costa Rica and parts of South America
- Size: Both males and females can reach a body length of about 1.9 inches, although the leg span can reach 5-7 inches
- Diet: Both insects and smaller vertebrates like frogs and insects
- Colorful feature: Many of these spiders are generally brownish in color. But as you can see from the photo, they sometimes can be golden yellow with accents of deeper brown.
The name Phoneutria refers to a whole genus of spider species, and all of them are commonly called Brazilian wandering spiders. Because there are so many stories of these spiders hiding in shipments of bananas, they sometimes are called banana spiders, too.
20. Wasp Spider
- Latin name: Argiope bruennichi
- Habitat: Parts of northern and central Europe, northern Africa, the Azores archipelago near Portugal, and some regions of Asia
- Size: Females can grow to about 0.6 inches, and males can reach about 0.2 inches
- Diet: Different types of insects it catches in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders have abdomens that are colored with yellow and black stripes. The stripes are often both straight and wavy, creating an interesting pattern.
These insect-catching spiders have one of the most intriguing patterns on the list. They are patterned much like a hornet or yellowjacket, although the pattern is closer to black and cream-colored in some individuals.
21. Heathland Orb-Weaver
- Latin name: Neoscona adianta
- Habitat: Areas of central Asia, Europe, and North Africa (as long as there are flowers present)
- Size: Females can reach about 0.35 inches long, with males being slightly smaller
- Diet: Various insects that become caught in its web
- Colorful feature: This spider is another one that has an unusual and eye-catching pattern. It has a brown base color, but its back has a few black-bordered triangular shapes that are either cream-colored or white.
This spider uses an unusual web placement to catch insects. Its web usually is made among heads of flowers in order to easily catch prey as it forages.
22. Blunt-Spined Kite Spider
- Latin name: Gasteracantha sturi
- Habitat: Various habitat types in Southeast Asia
- Size: These spiders can grow to about 0.5 inches
- Diet: Mostly insects
- Colorful feature: These distinctive spiders have a wide yellow abdomen that has two black lines across it. The abdomen is surrounded by spikes; the two at the sides of the abdomen are blunt, with the rest of them being very sharp.
This unusual spider often looks like it has horns when viewed from the front. This feature, in combination with its typically bright colors, makes it an especially exciting arachnid to watch out for. And while it can bite, the bite usually will not harm humans. As you may have guessed, it is a close relative of the spinybacked orb-weaver mentioned above.
23. Green Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Mopsus mormon
- Habitat: Eastern Australia and New Guinea
- Size: These spiders can grow to about 0.5 inches
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: Both males and females of this species are bright green. However, males have a feature that looks a lot like a topknot of dark hairs. They also have bright white side whiskers. Females are also strikingly colored; their faces are white with red patterning.
Australia is known for its brilliantly colored wildlife, and even this small jumping spider helps it live up to that reputation. Most jumping spiders have a base color of black or brown, but this one has an unusual base color of bright leaf green.
24. Red-Legged Golden Orb-Weaver
- Latin name: Nephila inaurata
- Habitat: Various habitat types in southern and Eastern Africa and nearby islands
- Size: About 1 inch long
- Diet: Any type of insect that becomes caught in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders typically have yellow patterning with a darker base color on their back. Their legs are a bright red in color. Plus, their name comes from the fact that the silk used to make their webs shines gold in the sunlight (as opposed to the silvery color you see in many webs).
Some of these spiders have redder legs than others. The one in the picture shows a dramatic contrast between the crimson legs and the yellow-patterned body. Experts don’t know exactly what compounds help these spiders spin the golden webs they’re named for. Carotenoids are very likely involved, but experts suspect other compounds may be as well.
25. Long-Winged Kite Spider
- Latin name: Gasteracantha versicolor
- Habitat: Tropical and sub-tropical forests across much of Africa and into Madagascar
- Size: Females can reach about 0.4 inches long, while males are much smaller
- Diet: Many insect types that they catch in their webs
- Colorful feature: Females of this species are much more colorful than the males. They come in different patterns, but many of these patterns involve a glossy reddish-brown coloration.
This spider, another of the spiny orb-weaver family, is one of the most dramatic when it comes to horns. On each side of the oblong abdomen, you can find a proportionally long and slightly curved horn. And like most related species, this spider also has an abdomen that’s surrounded by dark spikes.
26. Ground Crab Spider
- Latin name: Xysticus sp.
- Habitat: Various habitat areas across the world; the exact habitat depends on the specific species
- Size: Females can grow to be about 0.4 inches, while males only reach about 0.2 inches
- Diet: Various arthropods that they can catch while hunting
- Colorful feature: Different species across the genus are typically all reddish-brown in color. But as you can see from the picture, these spiders sometimes can be found in a brighter orange color.
Xysticus refers to a whole genus of spider species. And as you might guess from the name, they prefer to hunt along the ground. They don’t usually chase down prey, though; they often will stand still and wait for suitable prey to walk by.
27. Metallic Jumper
- Latin name: Siler semiglaucus
- Habitat: Various habitat types from India to the Philippines
- Size: About 0.2 inches long
- Diet: Various insects that it finds while hunting
- Colorful feature: These spiders are patterned with brilliant blue and red, and they also have a stripe of white and a stripe of black toward the rear.
Jumping spiders tend to be among the most colorful on the list, but this one is certainly one of the most colorful even by jumping spider standards. It’s sometimes called the colorful jumping spider or the jade jumping spider.
28. Kidney Garden Spider
- Latin name: Araneus mitificus
- Habitat: Gardens and low vegetation in Asia and many parts of Oceania
- Size: Females can reach up to 0.35 inches, while males can reach 0.2 inches
- Diet: Various types of insects it catches in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders have bodies that can be green, yellow, or red. Their abdomens are close to spherical, and they usually are light in color. The abdomen will usually have a black band near the front, though the band may have a hint of blue or a similar color. The abdomen has a kidney-shaped marking on it.
These colorful spiders have a much different web than many species. Instead of sitting in the middle, this spider will make a small, silk-lined hut near the edge of the web. A thread of silk connects the web to the hut, so when a prey insect hits the web, the spider can run out and get it.
29. Elegant Golden Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Chrysilla lauta
- Habitat: Rainforests in Myanmar, Vietnam, China, Thailand, Taiwan, and Sri Lanka
- Size: Males can reach 0.35 inches, while females can reach 0.16 inches
- Diet: Various types of insects
- Colorful feature: These bright jumping spiders have a bright blue base color that is banded with bright red.
This spider species may well be one of the most beautiful on the list. However, though the species was discovered in 1887, every official description of it has been of a male spider. The female size estimate above is for all members of the Chrysilla genus.
30. Regal Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Phidippus regius
- Habitat: Open areas of eastern North America
- Size: Females can reach 0.87 inches long, while males can reach 0.71 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: Males of this species have interesting black and white patterns. Females are often brownish, but they sometimes either are bright orange or have bright orange spots along the back. As you can see in the photo, its eyes are often a metallic purple-green as well.
When viewed up close, this fuzzy jumping spider looks like a little tarantula. Luckily, though, it doesn’t seem to be venomous to humans. It tends to avoid biting people when possible, but if it does, its bite usually only causes mild, localized symptoms.
31. Decorative Silver Orb Spider
- Latin name: Leucauge decorata
- Habitat: Various habitat types in Southeast Asia, India, Africa, and Australia
- Size: Females can grow up to 0.5 inches long, while males can grow up to 0.2 inches
- Diet: Various insects it catches in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders have slender abdomens that appear to be patterned with silver, black, and yellow. Their legs are greenish, and the head is a burnt orange color.
This exquisite-looking spider is considered to be one of the long-jawed orb spiders. As its name suggests, it has a longer jaw than most spiders, so it is better equipped to eat the insects that it catches. Its name is especially fitting, thanks to its juxtaposition of bright and metallic colors, this spider looks almost like a work of modern art.
32. Batik Golden Web Spider
- Latin name: Nephila antipodiana
- Habitat: Many habitat types in Thailand, the Philippines, China, Australia, and Indonesia
- Size: Up to 1.5 inches long
- Diet: Various insects it catches in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders have slender, tapered abdomens that are primarily yellow with a spotted pattern. However, the upper part of the body is a bright silver color. Since these are among the world’s largest orb-weaving spiders, it’s a bit easier to see their colors without a zoom lens.
This spider is another of the Nephila genus that weaves webs with golden silk. But the web of the batik golden web spider has another useful innovation; it contains a specific alkaloid that repels ants and keeps them from attacking any prey caught in the web.
33. Cobalt Blue Tarantula
- Latin name: Haplopelma lividum
- Habitat: Southeast Asia’s tropical rainforests
- Size: Both sexes can reach a leg span of about 5 inches
- Diet: Mostly relatively small insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders have striking, iridescent blue legs. Since their bodies are a bit hairy, they can appear to be blue-gray in color.
In the wild, these beautiful blue spiders spend most of their time underground. However, they also are popular among people looking for a pet tarantula. If you’re interested in one, be careful; while their venom isn’t fatal, it can cause severe muscle contractions. They are fast-moving and quick to bite, so they probably aren’t an ideal choice for a first tarantula.
34. Colombian Funnel Web Spider
- Latin name: Linothele megatheloides
- Habitat: Several habitat types in Colombia and surrounding areas
- Size: Up to about 1 inch long
- Diet: Various types of insects that become caught in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders come in a few different morphs. As you can see, yellow-orange spiders with darker markings are common. In captivity, a blue variant is popular.
These spiders have an ingenious way of catching prey. They spin their webs into funnel shapes and wait inside for prey. However, since the funnel is open at both ends, the spider can escape if threatened. Even though they are not nearly as big as tarantulas or other spiders kept as pets, these spiders can sometimes be found for sale on the pet market.
35. Red and Silver Dewdrop Spider
- Latin name: Argyrodes flavescens
- Habitat: Most habitat types in Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia
- Size: About 0.1 inches long
- Diet: Various insects caught in the webs of other spiders
- Colorful feature: These spiders have shiny, red to red-brown bodies marked with white spots. They have slender, long black legs.
This colorful spider eats prey caught in a web, but that prey isn’t caught from its own web. Instead, this spider stays on or near a web made by another spider and eats prey as it is caught. Typically, it will live on the web of a bigger spider. It seems to especially prefer the webs of orb-weaver spiders.
36. Banded Phintella
- Latin name: Phintella vittata
- Habitat: Various habitat types from India to the Philippines
- Size: Up to about 0.3 inches long
- Diet: Mostly smaller insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders usually have a black base color that is banded with another brighter color. Often, that color is a silvery white or even a bright blue.
This spider comes from the very large Phintella genus of jumping spiders. The genus contains 59 species, but this one is easily among the most colorful. But thanks to its smaller size, you may not get the full beauty of its coloration unless you take a closer look.
37. Singapore Blue
- Latin name: Lampropelma violaceopes
- Habitat: Forested areas of Singapore and Malaysia
- Size: It can sometimes have a leg span of up to 9 inches
- Diet: Mostly larger arthropods, but they will sometimes eat smaller vertebrates as well
- Colorful feature: The females of this species are more vibrant in color than the males. Females especially have intense blue legs, and the rest of the body is yellowish or brown.
This striking spider is another great example of a tarantula that is kept more for its colors than its temperament. Though they aren’t venomous to humans, these spiders do tend to bite as a first-line defense against predators. They are also aggressive by nature, so they aren’t ideal if you want a spider you can handle.
38. Ladybird Spider
- Latin name: Eresus sandaliatus
- Habitat: Various habitat types across Europe
- Size: Males can grow up to 0.35 inches, while females can grow up to 0.63
- Diet: Various smaller insects
- Colorful feature: The males of this species are the brightly colored ones. Though their base color is black, their abdomen is bright red with black dots. Their legs are also banded with white. Females are pure black.
This spider species is classified as endangered. In the past, it has come very close to extinction, but a concerted effort by the English Nature’s Species Recovery Programme seems to have dramatically increased its numbers.
39. Redback Spider
- Latin name: Latrodectus hasselti
- Habitat: Many habitat types throughout Australia
- Size: Females can reach about 0.4 inches, while males can reach 0.16 inches
- Diet: Various insects that become trapped in female spiders’ webs
- Colorful feature: The females of this species are the most colorful. Adult females are black with a red patch on the abdomen. Juvenile females often have multiple red patches outlined in white.
This threatening-looking spider is also called the Australian black widow. It is highly venomous and can cause serious pain and inflammation. Its venom isn’t likely to kill a human, and there is an antivenom treatment that can help prevent or reverse symptoms.
40. Tent Spider
- Latin name: Cyrtophora moluccensis
- Habitat: Relatively open areas of Australia, Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea, India, Japan, and Indonesia
- Size: Up to about 0.6 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects caught in its web
- Colorful feature: These beautiful spiders vary somewhat in appearance. Their abdomens look marbled with white or a darker color. Sometimes, that darker color is a deep brown. Other times, though, it is a bright green or yellow.
As you probably could guess from the name, the tent spider makes a web with a domed or tent-like shape. This gives it a major advantage over other spiderwebs; a single tent web can potentially last for weeks, while most other spiders need to remake their webs every day.
41. Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tarantula
- Latin name: Poecilotheria metallica
- Habitat: Deciduous forests in central southern India
- Size: They can grow to a leg span of 8 inches
- Diet: Primarily insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders look much more blue than other blue tarantulas. They also have a highly geometric yellow pattern across the back.
This beautiful species of tarantula is classified as being critically endangered, but some serious tarantula keepers also house them in captivity. Their venom can cause significant pain, and their fangs can reach a formidable 3/4 inch in length. Because they are so rare, though, they are often expensive. In some cases, adult spiders have sold for $500!
42. Sixspotted Orb-Weaver
- Latin name: Araniella displicata
- Habitat: Various habitat types across North America, Europe, and parts of Asia
- Size: Up to about 0.74 inches
- Diet: Smaller insects that become caught in its web
- Colorful feature: These spiders can vary tremendously in color. Usually, they have a reddish body and a large, pale abdomen. The abdomen is patterned with yellow or reddish brown.
Relative to their body size, sixspotted orb-weavers make very small webs. They often are made around the leaves of shrubs, where they can easily capture unsuspecting prey. Like many smaller spiders, these spiders are able to capture and subdue much larger insects.
43. Whitebanded Crab Spider
- Latin name: Misumenoides formosipes
- Habitat: Various parts of the United States where there are flowers present
- Size: Females can grow up to 0.44 inches, while males can grow up to 0.13 inches
- Diet: Small pollinating insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders are another species that can change their color depending on their surroundings. It can’t happen instantly, but female spiders can change from white to yellow in about three days in order to better match the flowers they’re feeding on. Males cannot change color, but their smaller bodies are a striking gold color.
The white-banded crab spider catches prey a bit differently from many other spider species. It hides on flowers and waits. When suitable prey appears the crab spider will grab it out of the air with its strong, claw-like limbs.
44. Pantropical Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Plexippus paykulli
- Habitat: It can be found all over the world in tropical environments, although it prefers to live near buildings
- Size: Females grow up to about 0.47 inches, while males grow to about 0.43 inches
- Diet: Primarily different types of insects
- Colorful feature: The males of this species are especially colorful. They tend to have light-colored bodies with accents of deep brown to wine red. These colors look especially striking next to the spider’s green eyes.
These spiders are some of the hardiest jumping spiders. They can kill prey that’s twice their size. In one experiment, the spiders were housed in a building where cockroaches were the only food. They were able to thrive on this unbalanced diet and still were able to breed. Pantropical jumping spiders are also incredibly agile; they can cover the length of their bodies in a single jump.
45. Red and Black Orb-Weaver
- Latin name: Eriophora fuliginea
- Habitat: Tropical areas in Panama and surrounding areas
- Size: Around 0.5 inches long
- Diet: Primarily insects that it catches in its web
- Colorful feature: Though juveniles of this species may briefly turn yellow, the more permanent adult color phase is still a striking one. Adults are orange-brown with a dramatic white stripe. Its legs are black.
Though its colors may not be neon, the red and black orb weaver nonetheless makes a statement. Its white stripe looks like a racing stripe, and the full red-brown of its coloring makes it hard to forget.
46. European Black Widow
- Latin name: Latrodectus tredecimguttatus
- Habitat: Various habitat types between Iberia and southwest Asia
- Size: Females can be up to 0.59 inches, while males can be up to 0.28 inches
- Diet: Mostly smaller insects
- Colorful feature: The females of this species have an especially eye-catching pattern. They have a jet black base color that is marked with 13 red-orange spots. The spots are bordered in white or cream.
This spider is probably the world’s most striking black widow. And though it’s beautiful, it’s definitely a species to avoid. It has an extremely painful bite that is sometimes fatal. However, only the females have the bite strength to harm humans.
47. Nine-Dotted Ground Spider
- Latin name: Habronestes hunti
- Habitat: Various habitats throughout Australia (as long as there are ants present)
- Size: Females can grow to about 0.6 inches, while males can reach about 0.5 inches
- Diet: Mostly ants
- Colorful feature: These Australian spiders are very dramatic-looking. Their bodies are black with slightly brownish legs, and their abdomens are marked with nine bright lemon-yellow dots.
These fast-running spiders can be helpful for pest control, as they primarily feed on ants. If you see a spider that matches the description of the nine-dotted ground spider but has more than nine dots, it’s likely still a member of the species. Some of these spiders have more or fewer dots, although most have exactly nine.
48. Green Crab Spider
- Latin name: Diaea dorsata
- Habitat: Forest edges of the palearctic region
- Size: Females can reach about 0.2 inches, while males can reach about 0.15 inches
- Diet: Mostly smaller insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders have bright green bodies. Their abdomens are usually a pale yellow with brown markings.
Most of us probably don’t think of the color green when we think about spiders. But these spiders are uniquely equipped to hunt for prey in the leaves of oak trees. The males of the species sometimes engage in “combat” where they raise up their front legs and dance. Experts have noted that this is a behavior you often see with jumping spiders, but not so much with crab spiders.
49. Eight-Spotted Crab Spider
- Latin name: Platythomisus quadrimaculatus
- Habitat: Various habitat types in Sumatra
- Size: Females grow to about 0.8 inches, while males grow to about 0.2 inches
- Diet: Various small insects
- Colorful feature: These beautiful spiders often have glossy, almost translucent yellow or orange bodies; they are much more vivid in color than most other crab spiders on the list. Their backs are marked by jet black spots.
These exotic-looking spiders might not have the most color variety on the list, but they quite possibly are the brightest when it comes to the overall color. Their yellow or orange bodies are more saturated in color toward the center, but they are more translucent toward the legs. This species looks a lot different than many other crab spider species; that’s because it’s characterized as a “flattened” crab spider.
50. Black Widow
- Latin name: Latrodectus elegans
- Habitat: Various habitat types in East Asia and India
- Size: Up to about 0.4 inches long
- Diet: Smaller insects that become caught in its web
- Colorful feature: This species of spider has much more red on the abdomen than most black widow species. The female Latrodectus elegans has an abdomen that appears to be swirled in red and black.
The name “black widow” can be used to describe a range of spider species. For instance, the spider called a “black widow” in North America is a different species from this black widow, a species found in Asia. Interestingly enough, while most people use extreme caution around any black widow species, most black widow bites do not cause death or serious complications. Still, black widow bites are painful, so it’s a good idea to keep your distance.
51. Lynx Spider
- Latin name: Oxyopes javanus
- Habitat: Various types of insects
- Size: Up to about 0.39 inches long
- Diet: Various types of smaller insects
- Colorful feature: These spiders can vary some in color, although most have backs that are intricately patterned in brown, black, and white. The rest of the body is closer to being translucent. In the case of the lynx spider in the photo, the body is almost green.
The tough-looking lynx spider is somewhat rare in the arachnid world; it is an ambush predator. Instead of building webs, it actively hunts its prey. Its unusual eye configuration helps it do so; it has six eyes on the top of its head and two eyes in the front. It also stands out from many spiders thanks to many bristle-like protrusions, called “setae,” on its legs.
52. Marbled Orb-Weaver
- Latin name: Araneus marmoreus
- Habitat: This spider occupies a wide variety of habitat types across the Holarctic region
- Size: Females can reach about 0.7 inches, while males can reach about 0.4 inches
- Diet: Mostly smaller insects
- Colorful feature: Both males and females of this species are colorful, albeit in different ways. Females have large inflated abdomens that can sometimes look like pumpkins when orange. Most females have orange abdomens, but there are also color morphs in yellow, white, red, and more. Males have more oval-shaped abdomens. They are usually lighter in color with a darker geometric pattern.
The marbled orb-weaver is easily one of the most beautiful of the orb-weaver species. But unlike many other spiders, this one builds a little silk “retreat” beside its web. A single signal line of silk lets the spider know if an insect has become trapped in its web.
53. Whitman’s Jumping Spider
- Latin name: Phidippus whitmani
- Habitat: Various habitat types throughout the United States and Canada
- Size: Up to about 0.98 inches long
- Diet: Smaller insects that it can hunt
- Colorful feature: The males of this species have red fuzzy backs. That’s to make them look like velvet ants. If a predator has formerly run into a velvet ant and received its powerful sting, it’s more likely to avoid this jumping spider, too.
This is one of the few colorful jumping spiders that can be found in the United States and Canada. Interestingly enough, some people believe that its scientific name may be a reference to Walt Whitman, the famous poet.
Nature’s Brightly Colored Spiders
Now you can see that spiders go far beyond your run-of-the-mill daddy longlegs and brown recluse. And even if they aren’t your favorite animals out there, hopefully spiders can bring a little more color to your life.