Spiders come in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny jumping spider to the giant tarantula. While some spiders have a reputation for being aggressive or even dangerous, others are surprisingly docile and gentle. When it comes to friendliness, there are a few spiders that stand out as being particularly amenable to human interaction. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most easygoing and harmless spider species and discover which ones have the best claim to being the friendliest spiders on Earth.
Jumping Spiders
One of the prime contenders for the title of friendliest spider is the jumping spider. There are over 5,000 described species of jumping spiders, making them the largest family of spiders worldwide. Despite their name, jumping spiders usually only leap a few inches at a time when hunting prey or evading threats.
Jumping spiders have a number of endearing qualities that contribute to their harmless and charming reputation. For one, they are diurnal spiders that are active during the day, unlike many nocturnal spider species. This makes them more visible and approachable to humans. They also have excellent eyesight and are very inquisitive and observant of their surroundings. If you get close to a jumping spider, you’ll notice it swiveling its head to get a good look at you!
In addition, jumping spiders don’t build traditional webs for catching prey. Instead, they actively hunt insects and other small invertebrates on walls, plants, or the ground. This means they are less likely to accidentally trap or ensnare humans in sticky webs. Overall, jumping spiders have very little interest in people and do not pose any safety risk. Many who encounter these tiny 8-legged creatures find them to be cute, personable pets.
Orb Weaver Spiders
Orb weaver spiders encompass several spider families that construct circular, spiraling webs, hence their name. Some of the most common orb weavers are garden spiders, banana spiders, and the intricately patterned argiope spiders. Their webs can be massive, up to 2 feet in diameter! Despite their large webs, most orb weaver species are not aggressive toward humans.
The bite of an orb weaver is generally harmless to people. In fact, the docile and gentle personalities of some orb weavers have earned them a reputation as one of the friendliest types of spiders. The boldly patterned yellow and black argiope spider is a great example. It will patiently sit in the center of its web even when approached by curious humans. Instead of biting, it will often quickly drop out of its web to the ground if agitated.
Banana spiders are bright yellow and closely resemble the color of bananas, making their name very fitting. These spiders build narrow vertical webs between trees and other structures. Like most orb weavers, banana spiders have mild dispositions and are unlikely to bite even if accidentally touched by a person. Their colors serve to warn birds and larger animals not to disturb their webs.
Daddy Longlegs Spiders
Daddy longlegs spiders belong to the order Opiliones, which is separate from true spiders. But they still deserve a mention as one of the most innocuous arachnids frequently encountered by people. There are over 6,500 daddy longlegs species found around the world in diverse habitats.
Despite their spider-like appearance, daddy longlegs are actually more closely related to scorpions and harvestmen. However, they entirely lack venom or silk glands, rendering them completely harmless to humans. In fact, it’s believed their primary defense is simply to play dead when threatened! Their gentle nature allows them to be handled without issue.
So rest assured that daddy longlegs spiders live up to their name as docile and gentle creatures. Let them continue to go about their business of hunting small prey and there is essentially no risk from these sweet, timid arachnids.
Tarantulas
Now this may come as a surprise, but tarantulas are also regarded as generally docile and non-aggressive. Most species of tarantula are relatively slow moving and tend to avoid confrontations if possible. While they do possess venom, their bites are not medically significant to humans in the majority of cases. Some people even keep tarantulas as pets!
Certain types of tarantula may flick irritating hairs from their abdomens or strike with their front legs when defending themselves. But this behaviour usually only occurs if they are being directly provoked or handled roughly. For the most part, tarantulas prefer to flee rather than fight if they feel threatened. The Chilean rose tarantula is one variety commonly kept as an easygoing pet.
So although they are very large and imposing spiders, tarantulas do not actually share the same predatory instincts as smaller true spiders. Their intimidating appearance belies a rather mild and docile personality in most species. With proper space and care when handling them, even giant tarantulas can make for gentle spider companions.
Crab Spiders
Crab spiders comprise the family Thomisidae, named for their ability to scuttle sideways like crabs. They do not build webs but patiently ambush prey while camouflaged against flowers and leaves. Crab spiders come in many colors like white, yellow, and purple that allow them to blend into their surroundings.
While they have venom that can incapacitate small insects and bugs, crab spiders pose very little risk to humans. In general, they have quite mild dispositions compared to some other spiders. Crab spiders often allow quiet observation and close approaches without reacting defensively or aggressively.
Their camouflage and stealthy hunting styles indicate crab spiders would rather run and hide than confront animals or people. Varieties like the yellow crab spider and the spined micrommata spider are especially docile and unlikely to bite even if handled. Overall, the crab spider’s agreeable nature ranks it among the friendliest of spiders.
Wolf Spiders
At first glance, the name “wolf spider” may not inspire images of a friendly creature. But wolf spiders are actually quite mild-tempered and reluctant to bite self-defensively. There are over 2,000 wolf spider species, making them another highly successful spider family.
Unlike most spiders, wolf spiders do not spin webs to trap prey. They hunt actively on the ground during the day and night. When threatened, most wolf spiders will seek to flee or play dead rather than stand their ground. Their venom poses little hazard to humans and any bites have mild, localized effects.
Some key indicators of the docile wolf spider personality include their tendency to live solitarily and avoid spin webs. Species like the Carolina wolf spider and the tigrosa spider have very timid and non-aggressive behaviors. They often allow for easy observation in the wild and can be handled without much risk of biting. For these reasons, wolf spiders can be considered among the most easygoing spiders.
Conclusion
While not all spiders have friendly reputations, certain species stand out for their calm, gentle demeanors when interacting with humans. Jumping spiders, orb weavers, daddy longlegs, tarantulas, crab spiders, and wolf spiders are generally regarded as the most docile and harmless to people.
With over 45,000 spider species in the world, determining the single friendliest is difficult. But based on their lack of venom, fear of humans, and solitary non-web-building lifestyles, wolf spiders could be considered the friendliest spiders globally. Understanding the diverse personalities and temperaments of spiders can help appreciate even the creepiest crawlers for their role in nature. With proper space and care, even spiders can become friendly companions rather than foes.
References
| Source | Key Points on Friendly Spiders |
| The Spruce Pets | Jumping spiders have great eyesight and inquisitive personalities. |
| Orkin Pest Control | Orb weaver spiders like argiopes are docile and unlikely to bite people. |
| Terminix | Daddy longlegs spiders lack venom and are completely harmless. |
| The Conversation | Tarantulas generally avoid confrontations and have mild venom. |
| Bioadvanced | Crab spiders stay camouflaged to avoid threats rather than fight. |
| PetKeen | Wolf spiders flee when threatened and rarely bite defensively. |
