Crazy Looking Spiders – Did you know that there are at least 43,678 species of spiders as of 2008? Each year new species are discovered, thus, making spiders the largest order of arachnids known to man and the seventh-largest in total species diversity of all orders of organisms.

Of the tens of thousands of spiders we now know, we have identified five of the craziest-looking spiders. You may even start thinking spiders as cute critters instead of little monsters!

#1 Portias – the Cunning crazy Looking Spiders

Don’t be fooled by their delicate name, Portia spiders are fierce predators. These jumping spiders specialize in hunting and feeding on other spiders, even those much larger than themselves Crazy Looking Spiders.

Portias are masters of disguise. They typically resemble leaf detritus trapped in a web, which serves as their hunting camouflage. Web-building spiders have poor eyesight, so they are easily fooled by the Portia’s disguise.

When Portia locates a web-building spider, it will begin to vibrate the web in a specific pattern. This pattern mimics the struggle of a trapped insect or the courtship signals of a male spider. The unsuspecting web-builder will then move towards the Portia, giving it the perfect opportunity to strike Crazy Looking Spiders.

Portia spiders are incredibly intelligent and adaptable hunters. They have been known to use a variety of other strategies to catch their prey, such as imitating the sounds of other spiders or even using their own webs to ensnare their victims.

Portias are a fascinating example of how evolution can produce highly specialized and successful predators. Their unique hunting strategies and intelligence make them some of the most formidable spiders in the world.

#2 Bird-Dung Crab Spiders

The bird-dung crab Crazy Looking Spiders are just as what their name implies. They look exactly like wet and lumpy bird poop when drawing their legs close to their bodies; many even sit on small white silk patches to mimic the appearance of white bird dung. Their first two pairs of legs are also longer and heavier than the other two pairs, just like crabs. Plus, they also move sideways.

Many even emit strong smells of urine and feces to attract and then ambush flies.

#3 Assassin Spiders

Asassin Spider

If you’re a spider, the last spiders you want to meet along the way are assassin spiders. They may be small (2-8 mm) but their venom-filled fangs, which are attached to their extremely elongated jaws, have made them one of the deadliest spiders. They hunt their prey by stabbing them with their fangs.

#4 Happy Face Spiders

Known as nananana makakiʻi in Hawaii, happy face spiders usually have patterns on their bodies that resemble a grinning clown or smiling face set against their yellow bodies. Each spider has a distinct patter with patterns also differing from one island to the next in the Hawaiian islands Crazy Looking Spiders.

These patterns are believed to serve no adaptive purposes but we just enjoy them nonetheless.

#5 Peacock Spiders

Also known as gliding spiders, peacock spiders are so named because of their flamboyant colors and patterns mimicking peacocks. Males typically have red, blue and black markings with flap-like extensions on their abdomens; the flaps can be expanded and raised during mating. Plus, the males can also vibrate their abdomens, wave their raised legs and tails, and dance from side to side during the ritual.