Tarantula Facts
Tarantula Facts
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Tarantulas are largest known spiders. They mainly inhabit deserts, rainforests and grasslands. They live in all continents except Antarctica. There are more than 800 species of tarantula. As a consequence of habitat destruction, climate changes and collecting of tarantula (to be sold as a pets) some species became endangered.
| Interesting Tarantula Facts: |
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| Size of tarantula can range: they can be small as a fingernail or large as a dinner plate. |
| Most tarantulas are hairy, have 8 legs and 2 fangs. |
| They have 8 eyes, but they don't see well. |
| Although tarantula can bite, it doesn't produce toxin that is strong enough to hurt a man. Its bite is similar to a wasp bite. |
| Tarantulas eat insects, small lizards and even birds. |
| They can't chew their food, so they inject digestive juices into the prey and wait for food to turn into a juice. Tarantula has a mouth shaped like a straw and it easily sucks liquefied food. |
| Tarantula has a lot of enemies. Snakes, lizards, birds, coyote, and foxes will eat tarantula whenever they can. |
| Worst enemy of tarantula is "Tarantula Hawk", type of wasp which paralyzes spider and lays eggs on its body. Larvae will eat paralyzed spider while it is still alive. |
| Tarantula uses easily detachable hairs on its back and abdomen to defend itself against predators. These hairs will induce unpleasant itch when they come in contact with predator. |
| Tarantula produces silk to mark its territory, protect its eggs and hide its nests. |
| Tarantula detects vibration of the ground that comes from predators and from prey. In case of predators, it will hide. In the case of prey, it will wait in ambush until the prey gets close. |
| Males are much smaller than females. Most females will eat males after mating. |
| Female lays around 2000 eggs that will hatch after 1-3 month of incubation. |
| Most young spiders will be eaten by predators in the first few years of their life. |
| Male tarantulas live 5-10 years, and females can live over 20 years. |
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