The Spider is another popular tattoo symbol that crosses many tattoo genres and is prominently featured in the traditional tribal tattoos of many indigenous peoples around the world. There are very few cultures that do not have stories about spiders within their mythological histories, no doubt in part because spiders can be found on nearly every part of the planet, even on far-off islands, as spiders can travel vast distances using their webs as little parachutes! And who amongst us has not been fascinated by the webs that spiders weave and the way they capture their prey. Such images have fired the imaginations of men and women since the dawn of time.
Though Spiders can bite, few are fatal. The much feared Tarantula, the largest of the Spider family, is in fact a gentle, good-natured giant -- unless provoked. But beware the pea-sized Black Widow Spider. Her venomous nip can be nasty. You can recognize her from the red markings on her abdomen. And the venom of the fabled Brown Spider in Australia is one of the most potent poisons on the planet.
The spider tattoo has also achieved special status within prison and gang tattooing and in the symbol language of prison and gang tattoo, spiders and spider-webs give important information about the length of a prisoner's sentence and even their crimes.
See also: Insect Tattoo Index, Dream Catcher, Scorpion.
