Goliath bird-eater spider Introduction

The Goliath birdeater is the king of spiders. Weighing up to six ounces and with a leg span of nearly a foot, this tarantula is the largest arachnid on the planet. Goliath’s don’t usually eat birds, but they are big enough to be able to—and occasionally they do. “Birdeater” came from an 18th-century engraving that showed another kind of tarantula eating a hummingbird, which gave the entire Theraphosa genus the name birdeater. These spiders can have a leg span up to 30 cm (12 in), a body length of up to 11.9 cm (4.7 in) and can weigh up to 175 g (6.2 oz). Bird Eaters are one of the few tarantula species that lack tibial spurs, located on the first pair of legs of most adult males. They are mostly tan to light brown and golden-hued. Unlike other species of spider/tarantula, females do not eat the males during mating. Females mature in 3-6 years and have an average lifespan of 15 to 25 years. Males die soon after maturity and have a lifespan of 3-6 years. Colors range from dark to light brown with faint markings on the legs. Bird Eaters have hair on their bodies, abdomens, and legs. The female lays 100 to 200 eggs, which hatch into spiderlings within 6-8 weeks. Insects make up most of the Goliath diet, but frogs and rodents are on the menu too. Goliath prowl the Amazon in northern South America.