Theraphosa blondi is a type of spider. It is not just any spider, it is a tarantula. It is known to be the largest spider in the world. Theraphosa blondi spiders have a leg span of about twelve inches long. That is wide as an average size dinner plate. Can you imagine your mom serving that up for dinner? They can weigh up to 120 grams. That is as much a stick of butter. You can tell a Theraphosa blondi spider by its size and also by its coloration. They can be light to dark brownish and they have bands of lighter color on their legs.

 

Blondi tarantulas live in the rain forests of northern South America. They like to burrow down deep under the ground in swampy environments. My assumption is that they do well in that ecosystem because that is where they can find what they like to eat and where they are safest from predators. I would not want to visit any swampy areas in South America because this spider gives me the creeps. Female blondi tarantulas can live for fifteen to twenty-five years. The males do not live nearly as long. They die after they mature at about three to six years old. The females lay one hundred to four hundred eggs. About half of the male Theraphosa blondi spiders are killed by the female after they mate. This tarantula is not endangered. But I think that the population might shrink because the rain forests are shrinking and that is where they live.

 

Theraphosa blondi tarantulas are mostly predators. They eat lots of different things. They eat little things like crickets and mealworms. They also eat bigger things like frogs, mice, and lizards. Although the common name for Theraphosa blondi is Goliath bird-eating spider, it does not naturally eat birds. The Goliath bird eater is only prey to a few things. They are vulnerable when they are molting. At that time other animals will sometimes eat them.

 

Other animals are not very interested in eating them because they can shoot hairs off of their bodies. The hairs can make you very uncomfortable and give you a rash. As I said earlier, these tarantulas give me the creeps. They make a hissing sound when they are bothered. They make that noise by rubbing their legs together. Theraphosa blondi spiders are one of the few tarantulas that can capture and eat a full-grown mouse. It is interesting to know how they got their common name since they do not usually eat birds. They were named by explorers a long time ago. The explorers were amazed by this huge spider that they saw eating a hummingbird.

 

Author: Christopher A

Published: 02/2008

 

Source: "Goliath Birdeater." Tarantulas.Com. . "Goliath Birdeater." Wikipedia. 10 Feb. 2008. . "Goliath Bird Eating Spider." World Biomes. 2003. . "Goliath Tarantula." Extreme Science.

 

Photo Credit: Universal Arachnids © 2006, The Creatures of Arachne