They may send shivers down the spine of arachnophobes, but not all spiders are the stuff of nightmares. From dazzling dancers no bigger than a grain of rice, to velvet-coated rarities that look more like toys than terrors, these eight-legged wonders prove that beauty comes in the most unexpected forms.
Here are some of the world’s prettiest – and most fascinating – spiders.
Prettiest spiders in the world
Peacock spider
Despite being the size of a grain of rice, a male peacock spider (Maratus) has to put on a spectacularly large show to attract a mate. He waves his back legs while dancing using a brilliantly-coloured fan attached to his abdomen.
If the female approves, he is allowed to mate. If not, she injects a lethal dose of venom into his brain, rendering him nothing more than a meal.
Ladybird spider
Ladybird spiders are one of the UK's rarest spiders and largely limited to Dorset heathland, where they build silk-lined burrows complete with a canopy from which they ambush prey.
The larger female is black, while the male resembles a miniature soft toy with white rings on its legs and a red body with black, ladybird-like spots.
Peacock tarantula
The Gooty sapphire tarantula Poecilotheria metallica, also known as the peacock tarantula, is a strikingly beautiful species of arboreal tarantula. It is well known for its vibrant metallic blue coloration, which makes it one of the most visually striking tarantulas in the world.
Wasp spider
It is fairly easy to see how this spider got its name with its stripy abdomen and legs. The wasp spider is the biggest orb-weaver in Britain, with females regularly reaching a body length of 20mm. It is native to mainland Europe, North Africa and western Asia.
Mirror or sequinned spider
These glittering arachnids' abdomens are patterned with cream, green, yellow, and red scales that glisten like mirrors – hence their name. Like the peacock spider, they are tiny – with their bodies ranging between 3-4mm long – and are found in Australia.
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