There are more than 45,000 spider species in the world.
Certain characteristics, such as having 8 legs, are common to all spiders.
However, some critters resemble spiders up close and the differences between the species may not be immediately apparent.
Also known as cave crickets, spider crickets are known for living in caves and forests.
Not commonly seen because the species is nocturnal, spider crickets are some of the insects that usually resemble spiders.
However, spider crickets only have 3 pairs of legs instead of 4 pairs.
Known for its tan-brown color, these critters grow up to 2 inches.
They are also known for their ability to jump, so getting close is not recommended.
Spider Cricket
Spider crabs are believed to have come to North America from Asia.
They have changed and enlarged their natural habitat from caves to cellars and even forests where they can find a cool, moist place to live.
Spider crickets are part of the Ensifera group of insects and are now commonly seen in American homes.
They are a group of accidental invaders, just like many other types of insects and pests.
Most spider crickets found in homes live in basements and damp places without direct sunlight.
2. Spider beetles
2. Spider beetles
Desert spider beetle (Cysteodemus armatus)
These bicolored insects get their name from resembling crab spiders.
Spider beetles have a black abdomen and an orange-colored thorax.
They have 3 pairs of legs and can be found in man-made structures.
There are multiple species of spider beetle in North America, such as the American spider beetle.
Most of these species resemble spiders.
They are common in states such as Colorado where they are considered pests.
Spider beetles have a varied diet but prefer grains.
Harvestmen, also known as Opiliones, are usually confused with spiders of the genus Araneae.
Distinction between Harvestmen and Araneae spiders is seen in body shape and number of eyes.
Haywains have a 1-piece body and multiple eyes in 2 rows.
This species of arachnid is known for having a broad diet of dead and living insects.
They normally hang upside down under leaves, where they wait to catch any insects.
However, harvestmen are not considered a pest and they are even an endangered species in states like California.
These large insects in the class of Arachnida are often confused with spiders or scorpions.
They prefer to live in dry climates and feed on small insects and animals.
Growing up to 6 inches, Solifuges are often mistaken for true spiders, even by spider collectors.
It has 4 pairs of legs that confuse the average spider collector.
Whip spider
Whip spider
Whip spider
Whip spiders are found in tropical and subtropical climates.
They get their name from the adaptations of the first pair of legs that resemble whips.
These long legs are used for guidance, similar to how cockroaches use antennae to move around and discover different terrain textures.
These Amblypygi bugs can be recognized by a flat gray body.
They are sometimes confused with crabs and spiders.
Whip spiders are largely active at night.
These crab-like critters are known to eat other spiders.
Vinegars are also known as whip scorpions.
They are routinely confused with scorpions and whip spiders.
They have 4 pairs of legs and long lower jaws, similar to the pincers of scorpions.
These critters also have a front pair of legs that are used for sensory purposes, similar to whips.
These insects of the genus Aarachnida are common in Australia and Europe and are usually black.
They are known for eating insects, spiders and even scorpions.
However, the female is one of the few species known to lock herself in the underground burrow with the eggs.
These Arachnida are known for an orange-brown color and a dark brown color.
They are part of the genus Arachnida micrura, which also includes whip spiders.
The species is known to have a large body of up to 10 mm with a thick abdomen and thick legs.
The spherical abdomen makes the species resemble spiders.
The genus’ preferred habitat is in forests where it hides in leaves.
Ricinulei can be difficult to spot in leaves because it has a dark brown to black body and legs of a similar color.
These bugs are routinely mistaken for scorpions or spiders.
However, they are arachnids and not scorpions or true spiders.
Pseudoscorpions can be recognized by an elongated round body and pedipalps that resemble scorpions.
Unlike true scorpions, these arachnids do not have a tail.
They are also smaller than all scorpions, reaching between 2 and 5 mm in size.
These arachnids often find their way into homes near forests and grasslands and are generally beneficial to humans because of their diet.
Most pseudoscorpions are found in leaves at ground level, while a smaller percentage of the species are found in trees.
These arachnids are known to live for 2 to 3 years.
Some ants are very similar to spiders.
Myrmarachne family spiders are known for mimicking ants.
These critters are part of the Salticidae family and are known to mimic ants in aspect and behavior.
Known for its long black ant-like body, the bugs even mimic the zigzag movement pattern of ants.
The slender body also allows these types of insects to easily escape predators as they can get away faster.
It is believed that there are 14 species of jumping spiders that resemble ants and could just as easily be mistaken for ants.
Ticks are not insects as many would think.
They are arachnids just like spiders.
Both ticks and spiders have 4 pairs of legs.
There are 2 types of ticks that look alike.
Both hard and soft ticks are smaller than spiders and have a large abdomen and a small head.
However, the head of ticks is significantly smaller than the head of spiders around the abdomen.
The habitat can be similar for both spiders and ticks, as both prefer moist environments.
However, ticks are known for their impressive resilience, as they can go a long time without a meal.
Another way to separate ticks from spiders is to assess the weather.
Crane flies
Crane flies
Crane Flies are often confused with Cellar spiders.
The name Daddy Longlegs has also been attributed to cranes and cellar spiders, leading to confusion.
Furthermore, there are many other insects, known as Daddy Longlegs, that can cause confusion between the species.
Another common perception is that Crane Flies are poisonous.
One way to distinguish Crane Flies from typical Cellar spiders is to analyze their habitat.
Crane Flies prefer to live next to water sources.
Many Crane Flies species are further seen alongside decaying vegetation such as decaying wood, leading some people to also mistake the species for mosquitoes.
Most Crane Flies species are associated with crops when not tied to a semi-aquatic habitat.
Species such as the European crane fly have known plagues.
These flies are not predatory like spiders, but they feed on the roots of various crops.
Thread leg beetle
Thread leg beetle
Thread leg beetle
Part of the Reduviidae family, Threaded Leg Bugs are predatory insects.
These nocturnal creatures resemble spiders with elongated bodies and long legs.
The resemblance to spiders is not the only connection to arachnids, as threadworms found in tropical climates regularly prey on spiders.
There are several thousand species of threadworms that usually resemble several species of spiders.
For example, Assassin insects of the family Reduviidae are known to resemble crab spiders.
These orange, brown and white spiders are known to grow up to 50mm in size.
With their long legs, these are real predators.
Like most threadworm species, Assassin bugs have a long beak that is used to suck the fluids out of bugs.
Preferred insects include the typical prey entangled in cobwebs, such as flies, as well as spiders themselves.
Insects that look like stink bugs.
Insects that look like kissing insects.
Insects that look like silverfish.
Insects that look like ladybugs.
Insects that look like centipedes.
Insects that look like hummingbirds.
Insects that look like scorpions.
Insects that look like earwigs.