No Web, But This Giant Spider Has Many Tricks for Hunting.
Arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders, is one of the most common phobias among humans. Even the smallest, harmless house spiders can cause intense fear in those affected by this condition.
If you suffer from Arachnophobia, you might want to skip this article, as today we will introduce the Theraphosa blondei (T. Blondi), the largest spider in the world.
This spider is incredibly large, boasting enormous fangs, yet they are harmless to humans unless one is allergic to spider hairs. Although their fangs contain venom, like most spider species, their bite is no more painful than a wasp sting.
The giant spider can have a leg span of up to 30cm and weighs about 170 grams, equivalent to a kitten. (Photo: Piotr Naskrecki)
According to Live Science, this is the South American giant spider, recognized as the largest spider in the world by the Guinness World Records. Its leg span can reach 30cm, with a body size comparable to a fist, weighing around 170 grams. In other words, this spider is about the size of a kitten.
Thanks to its size and sturdy legs and claws, this spider can produce sounds louder than other individuals when moving on the ground.
In addition to its bristly hairs, this spider can use its 5cm-long fangs for defense. While its venomous bite is not lethal, it can be extremely painful. When rubbed, the hairs with tiny hooks and spines create a loud hissing sound, aiding in their defense.
During the breeding season, females will lay between 50 to 200 eggs in a large silk sac. This sac is the size of a tennis ball, covered in itchy hairs to protect it from predators.
The mother spider carries her egg sac wherever she feels safe. Instead of being fertilized internally, these eggs are fertilized after they leave the mother’s body.
The spiderlings will begin to hatch 6 to 8 weeks after the eggs are laid, but it will take another two to three years before they reach maturity, a long duration for a spider.
During this time, spiderlings can molt five or six times as they grow.
The female can live up to twenty years, but males typically do not live more than three years, often dying shortly after mating.
Giant spiders usually hunt at night, easily preying on parent birds and chicks if they discover their nests. Their diet also includes frogs, earthworms, and various insects.
Rick West, one of the world’s leading spider experts, actually ate a T. Blondi during an expedition in the Amazon. This unusual meal was prepared by local Piaroa people using special recipes and cooking techniques.
According to West, the flesh of the spider tastes similar to shrimp, while the contents in the spider’s abdomen, which were boiled in rolled leaves, had a gritty and bitter flavor. After finishing this somewhat “disturbing” meal, the long 2cm fangs of the spider were used as toothpicks.
This giant spider is also known as the bird-eating spider, although they rarely hunt birds. The nickname “bird-eating spider” is a misnomer, possibly originating from an 18th-century engraving depicting another giant spider eating a hummingbird.
In reality, T. Blondi prefers to eat insects and larvae. However, when given the opportunity, this giant spider will not hesitate to consume other animals such as frogs, lizards, and other amphibians.
The giant spider is also known as the bird-eating spider.
Some special individuals of this species can even hunt larger prey. One night in the Peruvian jungle, Michael Grundler from the University of Michigan witnessed a giant spider of this species kill and consume an opossum (Marmosa murina).
Grundler reported, “The marsupial was caught by the spider and was still weakly thrashing at that moment, but after about 30 seconds, it was motionless. We were shocked and could hardly believe what we were seeing.”
Like all other giant spider species, they quickly pounce on their prey, utilizing their large fangs to bite and kill it.
This does not mean that T. Blondi does not produce and use silk like many other spider species. This spider typically inhabits shallow burrows beneath the forest floor, where it lines the silk with super-strong threads to enhance the stability of its burrow structure.
