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Giant Crab Spider

Olios giganteuus

 
Photo © by Jim Blaugh

Photo contributed by Jim Blaugh.

Sparrasidae -- Giant Crab Spider Family

These large intimidating spiders are not aggressive nor very poisonous, and besides, the ones that are most frequently encountered roaming indoors are the males as is this one. Males give up feeding and most biting to search for females. These spiders can have a leg spread of 8 cm or more and are active hunters. They do not spin webs. They superficially resemble wolf spiders, but often climb walls, which wolves rarely do. True wolf spiders also have two large and two larger eyes in the front row of eyes. Olios are common mostly around structures in Arizona, so. Nevada, and s.e. California.

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Copyright Michael J. Plagens, page created 15 Sept. 2005.