16 Meanings When You Dream About Spiders

I’m going to level with you. I am NOT a fan of spiders. That made researching and writing this dream interpretation guide really difficult. But as it turns out, I was pleasantly surprised by some of the meanings behind dreams of spiders.

These meanings are varied and quite diverse. If you thought that dreaming about a spider just meant something scary or indicated the number 8, there’s a whole lot more to the whole thing. It can depend on where the spider is, what it looks like, what it’s doing in your dream, and many other factors. So let’s dive into these 16 meanings when you dream about spiders.

All About Spiders

Though many people think that spiders are insects, they’re not. They’re arachnids. This group includes other animals like scorpions, ticks, mites, and vinegaroons, among others. To be honest, not the most pleasant of company.

Spiders all have eight legs and fangs and can spin silk from their spinnerets. They also generally have four pairs of eyes, making eight in total. Not all spiders actually weave the trademark webs these animals are known for. Some make large silky traps for their prey, while others live in holes in the ground. They eat insects primarily, but larger species may even eat lizards and birds.

Not humans, though!

Because of their eight legs and eight eyes, these animals are strongly associated with the number eight. In Buddhism, this is the most important number, which represents all possible directions on the wheel of dharma. The number eight is also associated with infinity, and spiders have often been tied to the concept of infinity, universality, and cycles.

Patience and perseverance…

A spider weaves its web, which takes time and associates it with patience and perseverance. It then sits at the center of the web. This gives it a power, as though it is at the center of all things. Most but not all spiders also have another interesting power. That is that females are normally bigger and stronger than males. They often also cannibalize the males after they mate. This strongly associates this animal with female power.

Finally, spiders are silent and deadly hunters. They hide in shadows and ambush their prey. This associates them with darkness and secrecy.

So let’s take a good look at possible meanings when you dream about spiders, according to your dream details and context.

What it Means When You Dream About Big Spiders

One of the most common dreams about spiders involves spiders that are exaggerated in size. If you dream about a big spider or even a gigantic one, this can mean something very big in your life. No, not a real spider crashing through your front door and dragging you away!

So, what does it mean, then?

When things are bigger than normal in our dreams, their associations are magnified. So if you dream of a big spider, this represents one of a few big ideas. Spiders are tied to luck, but neither good nor bad – just luck. So this could mean that something incredibly lucky or unlucky is headed towards you.

Because spiders are also linked to secrets, this giant spider in your dream can represent a secret. This could be something you are keeping hidden, and it’s causing you a lot of anxiety and needs to be dealt with. On the other hand, it could come from something you’ve sensed subconsciously – that someone is keeping a really big secret from you!

1. Dream About Small or Tiny Spiders

If you’re afraid of or otherwise turned off by spiders, you might at least be relieved by a dream of small or even tiny spiders. After all, they’re just teeny-weeny – how could they be a danger to you? Well, in fact, nothing could be farther from the truth. A spider lurks and attacks its prey by surprise. A small spider has a far better chance of going undetected. And that means it can be even more deadly.

When you dream of a small or tiny spider, this can represent something or someone who is out to get you. This is a situation or a person that you would normally never suspect. But luckily, your subconscious mind has picked up the scent. If you have a dream like this, it’s time to take a very close, careful look at what’s going on around you.

…because there’s something you’ve missed!

2. Dream of Lots of Spiders

Of all the meanings when you dream about spiders, this was the hardest dream for me to research. In fact, about a year and a half ago, I had a dream like this. I walked into the kitchen and started cooking, and then I saw a spider coming down from the ceiling on a silky thread. Then another came out of the cupboard. Another crawled out from under the fridge. More and more kept coming, and in seconds I was surrounded by these creepy, crawling critters!

I woke up in a cold sweat, as you can well imagine!

So what does a group of spiders mean in your dream? Surprisingly, this means abundance and multitude. You can take the big group of spiders and multiply them by eight to end up with a lot of something. However, that doesn’t mean it’s going to be something good or something bad. Dreaming of a whole bunch of spiders can indicate a whole lot of good luck – or bad luck!

3. Dream of a Spider’s Web

A spider takes a long time to spin its web, but it’s worth it because this is how it catches its dinner. Sure, you have to put in time and focus, but you get results from it. And this symbol can represent that concept in our dreams. There may be something that you are rushing in your life, and your dream is telling you to take your time with it in order for things to turn out right.

But that’s not the only thing it can mean…

Spider webs also typically only last for one day, and that means they have to be rebuilt constantly. This is another sign that focus and persistence are needed in your life. You may have something that you feel you only have to do once, like teaching your kids about something or checking your monthly accounts. This dream could be telling you that once is not enough – repeat and repeat if you want to have the best results.

4. Dream About A Spider in Your Bed

Ew. Spiders in bed? To me, that sounds absolutely horrible. But in fact, a dream of a spider in your bed can actually be good luck. Drawing a dream spider so close to you, into an intimate setting like your bed, is almost like trapping the trapper. Your bed is often seen in dreams as the center of your personal power. So luring the spider away from the center of her web and into your bed is a sign of taking on that creature’s luck and power.

Good for you!

Many people believe that this is also a sexual dream, but in most cases, that’s not true. Spiders are not normally associated with sexuality, probably because of the very different way that they mate. So, in this case, a spider in your bed shouldn’t make you worry about sexual secrets or otherwise.

5. Dream of Being Caught in a Spider’s Web

If you just dream of a spider’s web by itself, that can be an interesting suggestion to increase focus and persistence in your life. But if you dream of being caught in a cobweb, this is a whole different situation.

Luckily, this dream is quite straightforward…

Spiders like to lurk in the dark and wait for their prey to get stuck, then they pounce. They bite and often paralyze their prey, then wrap them up for a nice take-out dinner later. In much the same way, getting caught in a spider’s trap is indicative of being snared in a psychological trap.

This is most likely your subconscious picking up on some clues that you are being used, manipulated, conned, or otherwise by someone you have trusted up to this point.

Take some time to think about who this person might be because that person is a spider ready to pounce and suck the life out of you!

6. Dream of Being Bitten By a Spider

If you leave the strong symbol of the net behind, there’s still the danger of the spider itself. And if this creature bites you in your dream, it can be a real shock. And if you feel yourself being injected with its venom, this can be even more frightening!

Whether or not you’re noticeably envenomated, the spider bite is a serious symbol.

Of something positive, thank goodness!

Since the spider is a carrier of wisdom, of deep knowledge of the universe and all of its mysteries, its bite represents the attainment of some piece of that wisdom. In other words, something in your life has changed, and you’ve picked up something valuable along the way. You simply may not have completely integrated it fully into your perspective yet. But knowing that you’ve gained wisdom is at least one big step towards applying it in your life.

7. Dream of Being Caught By A Spider

One of the most common spider dreams out there is actually being tiny and then getting caught by a spider. This can often involve walking into a spider’s web and getting stuck. But it can also be the type of thing where you’re just moving along, and you get pounced on by a spider.

And even worse…

It’s also common to find yourself being wrapped up quickly in spider silk. You might feel terror or dread in this dream of a spider capturing you and wrapping you up to eat later.

However, this kind of dream actually represents something important. Again, the focus is on the web and spider silk and getting trapped in it. This can represent emotions or situations that you are currently trapped in. Perhaps you don’t know it, but there’s something going on in your life that you definitely have to get out of – and fast!

8. Dream of a Spider Crawling on You

Have you recently had a dream about a spider or spiders crawling on you?

Oh, the chills – I’ve got the ice-cold chills again!

This is one of the most spine-tingling dreams I can imagine, and I’m not sure I could actually handle it if it came to me. At the same time, this dream’s interpretation is actually nowhere near as scary as it seems. In fact, it’s normally quite positive.

Consider this…

If a spider or a group of spiders is crawling over your body in a dream, this requires close contact. And with the spider being a manifestation of the infinite universe, this dream is bringing the universe into close contact with you.

In fact, this dream can leave you feeling grounded and even insignificant in the face of the immensity of the universe outside of yourself. And for many people, this is actually a very good thing. It pushes the ego into the back seat and lets you see your life and your problems from a much broader and more realistic perspective.

9. Dream of Killing a Spider

First of all, we all know that killing a real spider is supposed to bring you bad luck. Some people say this will make it rain. Others promise the same seven years of poor luck you get from breaking a mirror.

So what happens if you kill a dream spider?

Killing a spider in your dream isn’t the same as the supposed bad luck you get when you kill a real spider. Instead, this is a generally good sign. Conquering the dark, sinister side of a spider is actually an indication that you’re able to tame the dark side of yourself. This means you can conquer some of your bad habits or dark desires that would otherwise cause your life to spin out of control.

So pull off a slipper and start smacking!

10. Dream About Eating a Spider

When thinking about the meanings when you dream about spiders, this is one of the most awful dreams to have in the first place.

Sorry for you!

If you’re like me, then just reading this title is enough to make you start to gag. Can you imagine eating a spider for real? All those hairy legs and crunchy bits slipping down your throat!? I’m truly about to pass out right now.

If you have a dream of eating a spider, however, it actually means something other than just a really disgusting meal. With this dream, we’re back to the spider’s association with the infinite. In this case, when you eat a spider that represents the incomprehensible depths of the universe, it can actually represent a grounding or a centering of yourself. This is an image of you connecting with the universe and finding your place in it. And with that realization comes an increase in personal power.

So while there’s not much nutrition in a real one, eating a dream spider is actually a power move!

11. Dream About Riding a Spider

This is a weird dream, though it’s definitely nowhere as disgusting as some of the other ones we’ve already looked at. We already talked about what it means to dream of a really big spider – either big luck or a big secret. Well, if you’re riding a spider in your dream, it for sure has to be a big one.

So what does this mean?

Riding a spider in your dream means that, to some degree, you are in control and directing the thing. So if this dream spider represents luck, it means you are in charge of that luck or at least have a certain influence to exert over it.

If it represents a big secret, on the other hand, then this is a secret that can truly work to your advantage. Whether it’s your own secret or one you might be keeping for a friend, riding a spider is a sign that keeping the secret, or controlling carefully who knows about it, is something that will give you power in your life.

12. Dream About Being a Spider

While all the dreams we talked about so far were of spiders in your dreams, this is something different altogether. If you have a spider dream in which you are the spider, it can be truly bizarre indeed! Becoming an animal in your dreams means taking on not just the form, but the spiritual qualities of that animal as well.

If you dream that you are a spider, this is your psyche assimilating the characteristics of patience and stealth that we can observe in these animals. Spiders hide in the darkness and wait patiently for something to fall into their trap. By the same token, there is probably something in your life that you are rushing, and it’s not going well.

This dream is an indication that you need to take time to slow down and step back from the issue. Be patient, and things will go much more smoothly.

13. Dream About a Tarantula

Some spider dreams are very specific. You can wake up and actually remember the type of spider that you were dreaming of. So, rather than a general image of a spider, you get something very precise to think about. And if you dream of a tarantula, it means something different than dreaming of another type of spider.

So, what exactly is a tarantula dream telling you?

Tarantulas are the biggest family of spiders. They’re hairy and can have fangs as long as 1½ inches. Moreover, the biggest jungle tarantulas can have a leg span of up to one foot across! Frightening indeed! However, the most important feature of tarantulas is that they live in burrows in the ground, not in trees or in hanging webs.

This connection with the earth is important to understand. The tarantula in your dream is like a messenger, going down into the earth and coming back with secrets for you to pay attention to. So if you dream about tarantulas, take heed, and listen for new wisdom that will reveal itself to you and help you grow as a person.

14. Dream of Black Widow

When I think of a dangerous spider, the black widow immediately comes to mind. These spiders aren’t big and hairy and oh so spine-chilling. However, their bite can be deadly, and this is the most important thing to consider. And it’s only the females whose bites can kill.

The black widow has this name for a reason. Yes, she’s black. But why “widow”? This is a spider that is well known for sexual cannibalism. The females are a lot bigger than the males, and after they mate, the female may indeed attack the male and eat him if she hasn’t already had her fill of flies. Thus, the black widow in your dream is a strong symbol of female power.

But who does it represent?

If you identify as female, this could be a dream about yourself, seeing your own strength presented to you. But if you’re not female, it’s a warning that you are involved with a female who is not only powerful but also potentially dangerous for you. This dream can let you know that you have to put up your guard and be very careful around a female who might be out to hurt you.

15. Dream of a Daddy Long Legs

If there’s any spider I actually can handle, it’s the daddy long-legs. They’re just not creepy like other spiders. They have such thin, wispy legs that I really can’t imagine them doing any harm. In fact, there are lots of different creatures called “daddy long-legs” around the world, including many that aren’t even spiders.

The daddy long-legs I know is also called a harvestman and is actually not a spider, even though it has eight legs. It doesn’t have eight eyes, though, and can’t spin silk, either.

Still looks like a spider, though!

But if it’s not even a true spider, what does it mean when you dream about a daddy long legs?

Some of the same imagery still applies here. This animal is associated with luck, which again, can be good or bad. It has thin, spindly legs that you probably know are easy to break or get stuck. And this fragility is important, as well. It tells you that the luck it represents is very fragile and tenuous. So the old saying “don’t push your luck” is something you really have to keep in mind in your waking life.

Want More Creepy Crawly Dream Interpretations?

If so, take a look at these surprising meanings of a Dream About Ants, a Dream About Worms, a Dream About Cockroaches, a Dream About Rats, or Bugs in Dreams. We also have in-depth guides to Bee Dream Meaning, Scorpion Dream Meaning, and Mice Dream Meaning.

Got something bigger on your (subconscious) mind? Something slithery? Well, then check out the meanings of a White Snake in Dreams, the Dream Of Black Snake Meaning, or even the Yellow Snake Dream Meaning!

You can also search this site for interpretations of any dream you may have in 2023!

Ok, back to today’s topic…

Meanings When You Dream About Spiders – Final Thoughts

I’ve just covered 16 different interpretations of dreams about spiders. These dreams can vary, and it’s important to know what is happening in each dream in order to interpret things correctly. What the spider is doing, what it looks like, or what kind it is, and then where it is, all have an influence on your dream interpretation.

The spider is known as both a lucky and powerful animal. However, it also has a dark, sneaky, and sinister side. But patience and persistence are also two of its most well-associated qualities. So, the next time you dream of a spider, try to pay attention to the details of your dream in order to better understand what it’s telling you.

Perhaps keep a dream journal next to your bed to jot down notes. And try your best not to get completely freaked out by a spider in your dreams! It can actually be a really positive omen.

Sweet dreams!

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