PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Can Spiders Really Reach The "Size Of APuppy"?October 20, 2014 | by Lisa Winter

photo credit: Piotr Naskrecki

If youre an arachnophobe who has spent time on Facebook during the last week, yourelikely already keenly aware of the the picture of the South American Goliath bird-eatingtarantula that has been going around, taken by wildlife photographer Piotr Naskrecki.Described as the size of a puppy, many have been hoping against hope that this nightmare-inducing creature has been photoshopped, exaggerated, or both. Sad to say, it hasnt.

Naskrecki noticed the spider while in Guyana, a South American country betweenVenezuela and Suriname. He claims he initially thought it was a possum or some other smallmammal. He soon became a bit unsettled when he realized it was actually a gigantic spider.

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Image credit: Piotr Naskrecki

Despite the spiders nickname, the Goliath bird eater doesnt typically eat birds. Endemic tothe rainforests in South America, this tarantula hunts on the ground, which limits how manybirds it would even contact. Typically, the Goliaths food of choice is earthworms andinsects. However, it will also eat small rodents, snakes, or frogs if they are available.

The moniker Goliath is well-deserved, as it is considered to be the most massive speciesof spider on the planet. The spider has a legspan up to 11 inches (28 centimeters) and abody about the size of an adults fist. Altogether, it weighs about 6 ounces (170 grams)which is about the same as a medium-sized apple, or a puppy right after it is born.Naskrecki notes that the spider is so heavy, its footsteps sound like tiny horse hooves asthey pound on the ground.

The spider certainly did not appreciate Naskrecki being on the ground and photographing itso closely, so it let him know by creating a hissing sound. Humans are much too large forGoliaths to attack as prey, so such attacks are usually only done in self-defense. Whenthreatened, Goliaths rub their serrated hairy legs together, which generates a hissingsound audible from 15 feet away. The rubbing also releases the urticating hair into the air,which are irritating to skin and are used to deter anyone from coming too close. Naskreckisface took the brunt of the damage from the spider, as several of the bristles entered hiseye. He explains on his blog that the experience left him with sore, watery eyes for days tocome.

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Image credit: Piotr Naskrecki

In another aggressive display to try to scare Naskrecki away, the spider showed its fangs ina threatening way. Tarantula fangs are up to 1.5 inches (4 centimeters) long, which aredefinitely large enough to pierce human skin and create a painful bite. The spiders venomisnt typically strong enough to kill someone who is not allergic to it, but will cause pain andnausea for days to come. Luckily, Naskrecki did not have to feel the business end of thosefangs.

Though the Goliath is the most massive spider on the planet, the Giant Huntsman,discovered in Laos, has a slightly wider leg span.

If youd like to read more about Naskreckis up close experience with this massive spider, besure to read the entry on his blog, The Smaller Majority.

[Hat tip: LiveScience]

[All images are property of Piotr Naskrecki]

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