What kinds of spiders can you find in Burkina Faso?

Many people are terrified of spiders and find them extremely creepy. This is unfortunate because not only are most spiders completely harmless, they benefit our environment by controlling the insect population. In fact, without spiders, our food supply would be in serious jeopardy.

Before we begin, I want you to know that the list below is just a fraction of the spiders in Burkina Faso. Because of the sheer number of these arachnids, it would be impossible to cover them all. For example, some estimates claim over 50,000 kinds of spiders on the planet (and the list is still growing)!

In today’s article, I did my best to develop a list of spiders you’re most likely to see.

2 common SPIDERS in Burkina Faso!

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#1. Adanson’s House Jumper

• Hasarius adansoni

Identifying Characteristics:

• Males have more colorful bodies, with black abdomen color and two white crescents on their bodies. They grow up to 6mm (0.23 in).
• Females are dark brown and don’t have any noticeable pattern, and are about 8mm (0.31 in) long.
• Both sexes have long legs covered with spines and hairs.

 

The Adanson’s House Jumper lives in warm climates all over Burkina Faso. Its natural habitats include woodland and low vegetation, but since they are highly adaptable, they can be found in any terrestrial area.

 

Although they can reuse their nests, they usually build new ones each night. Their webs are relatively small, about twice the size of the spider. The Adanson’s House Jumper is quite sociable and can be seen grouped in bigger numbers.

 

One of the most interesting traits of this species is its ability to jump incredible distances. They hunt by leaping several centimeters onto their prey, grabbing them, and injecting venom by bite.

 

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#2. Shorthorn Kitespider

• Gasteracantha sanguinolenta

Also known as the Thorn spider, the Jewel spider, the Star spider, or the Kite spider.

Identifying Characteristics:

• Females are 8-10 mm (0.31-0.39 in) long. They’re bright cream, white or yellow, red, and black. Their abdomen is usually black at the sides and white at the center, with red spots.
• Males are several times smaller and lack bright coloring.
• Their abdomen is sclerotized (hardened) with four sides and two back spines.

 

Unlike other spiders in Burkina Faso, this species is most commonly seen during winter.

They reproduce in the spring, and the females die after producing the egg sac, leaving the young to grow and disperse on their own.

 

The Shorthorn Kitespider is mostly found in evergreen forests, woodlands, or shrubby gardens. They use trees to build their webs at least one meter above the ground.