Here, we’ll learn about the nine biggest spiders in the Lone Star state. We’ll discover what they look like, what they eat, where they live, and, most importantly, how big they are. Then, we’ll take a look at whether or not you need to worry about the biggest spiders in Texas! Read on to learn more!
7. Trap Door Spider
They’re not the biggest spiders in Texas, but trap door spiders still grow to respectable sizes. They can grow up to 1 ¼ inches long, with legs up to 2.5 inches across. As their name suggests, trap door spiders hunt by constructing trap doors in loose dirt or sand. They range from black to dark brown, with smooth bodies. Each species looks a little different, but they can be easily recognized by their use of trap doors. When threatened, these spiders hide in their tunnels. Bites are rare and, when they occur, cause a few symptoms beyond mild pain. Trap door spiders are common in all parts of North America.
6. American Nursery Web Spider
American nursery web spiders are one of the biggest spiders in Texas. Their bodies can reach ¾ inch long, with a leg span up to 2.5 inches. American nursery web spiders are uniformly light brown, with a slightly darker brown band down the center of their bodies. Alternatively, they can also be tan, with almost no brown markings. These spiders have long, narrow bodies with long legs. They only spin webs when they lay their eggs. They’re not dangerous to humans and prefer to stay out of the way—unless they have eggs to protect.
5. Huntsman Spider
Huntsman spiders may not be the biggest spiders in Texas, but they’re pretty close. They grow up to one inch long in the body, with legs that stretch up to five inches across. Huntsman spiders have a very different appearance than tarantulas. Instead of large, robust bodies, they have narrow bodies with very long legs. They’re sand-colored, with darker markings on their cephalothorax (the head and first body segment). Huntsman spiders do not spin webs and are not dangerous to humans.
4. Texas Brown Tarantula
The Texas brown tarantula is one of the biggest spiders in Texas. Adults can grow to two inches in body length, with leg spans of up to four inches long. Texas brown tarantulas are dark brown with red hairs covering their legs and body. As their name suggests, they’re members of the tarantula family and stick to the ground. They eat mostly ground-dwelling insects, like cockroaches and beetles. These spiders live throughout Texas. In captivity, they may live up to 40 years.
3. Giant Crab Spider
Most crab spiders are on the small side. But, as you might have guessed from their name, giant crab spiders break the mold. Giant crab spiders are some of the biggest spiders in Texas. Their bodies only grow to about ¾ inches long, but their legs can reach six inches in length. Giant crab spiders have light, sand-colored bodies with darker tips on each leg. They often have a ‘Y’ marking on their abdomen. Like most of the biggest spiders in Texas, giant crab spiders don’t spin webs. Instead, they hunt their prey using excellent climbing abilities and incredible speed. Unlike most of Texas’s large spiders, these spiders are fairly aggressive. Their bites are painful but don’t require hospitalization.
2. Arizona Blond Tarantula
One of the biggest spiders in Texas is the Arizona blond tarantula. These spiders have thick bodies up to two inches long, with legs that can stretch up to five inches across. The Arizona blonde tarantula is rarely seen in the wild due to its shy nature. Males have dark legs with orange bodies, while females are entirely light brown. Like all tarantulas, they have stocky bodies, large cephalothoraxes and abdomens, and short, thick legs. Arizona blonde tarantulas spend most of their lives burrowing or hiding under rocks in the desert. They present very little threat to humans and make popular pets.
1. Carolina Wolf Spider
Carolina wolf spiders are some of the biggest spiders in Texas. They can grow up to 1 ⅓ inches long in the body, with a leg span of up to four inches. These spiders are dull gray-brown, with long legs and four pairs of differently sized eyes. They’re larger than brown recluse spiders, with dark brown and tan stripes running down their bodies. Carolina wolf spiders don’t trap their prey in webs. Instead, they chase insects down and attack them. Unlike brown recluses, Carolina wolf spiders aren’t dangerous to humans. Inch for inch, the Carolina wolf spider is the biggest in Texas. Other spider species, like the huntsman spider and giant crab spider, might have longer legs—but they just aren’t as robust as the Carolina wolf spider. That’s why, when it comes to the biggest spiders in Texas, the Carolina wolf spider reigns supreme.
