In this quick tutorial you'll learn how to draw a Crab Spider in 8 easy steps - great for kids and novice artists.
The images above represent how your finished drawing is going to look and the steps involved.
Below are the individual steps - you can click on each one for a High Resolution printable PDF version.
At the bottom you can read some interesting facts about the Crab Spider.
Make sure you also check out any of the hundreds of drawing tutorials grouped by category.
How to Draw a Crab Spider - Step-by-Step Tutorial
Step 1: To draw a Crab Spider, start with a large circle. Female Crab Spiders can grow to 8mm's and are usually bigger than Males.
Step 2: Add a rounded rectangle shape at the top to make the head, with two small dots for eyes.
Step 3: Now let's draw the legs on the top left side as shown in the picture. The Crab Spider has long legs with points at the end. They also do not make webs like other spiders do. Instead, they jump on their prey and poison them.
Step 4: Add the legs on the top right to match the ones you drew on the left. They are called Crab Spiders because the front legs look just like a Crab and they walk sideways, just like a crab!
Step 5: Draw the first hind leg on the bottom right with two straight lines and a closed tip.
Step 6: Finish the second hind leg on the bottom right similar to the one you drew on the bottom left..
Step 7: Next, add dots on the legs for the pattern, and some squiggly lines on the body for detail, which is very unique!
Step 8: Finally, draw small lines around the body to add the hairs on the Crab Spider. You can use brown or gray to color your Crab Spider.
Interesting Facts about Crab Spiders
A Crab Spider got its name because it walks side to side like a crab. They are found all over the world and are most often found in gardens. Crab Spiders are normally brown, but they can be grey. These spiders don’t build webs; they jump on their prey and poison them. The female is much bigger than the male; she can grow to 8 millimeters, while the male only grows to 5. During mating season a male has to trap a female to mate. It he doesn’t, she’ll eat him.
Did you know?
- There are 360 species of a Crab Spider.
- No Crab Spiders have ever been reported in South America.
- Crab Spiders are mostly seen during March – August.
- The spiders front legs do look like crab claws.
- There are two species of common Crab Spider. The only way to see the difference is to look at them under a microscope.
Activity: For those days that the kids just won’t settle down try a Spider Crab Race. Find a suitable place to have a foot race and tell the kids they have move side to side. Make them do laps if necessary, but it will help burn off that extra energy.
How to Draw a Crab Spider – Step-By-Step Tutorial