The largest and most dangerous spiders in the world. The biggest spider in the world - who is it? The most spider in the world

Giant spiders lived back in the era of dinosaurs and then their size was not something incredible. As for our time, you can still meet such spiders, although for many people meeting them will cause either panic or admiration.

Next we will talk about one of these spiders - the Goliath tarantula or Blond's theraphosis. It is he who is one of the largest spiders in the world, since the length of his body in the leg span can reach 28 centimeters!

This formidable predator is quite widespread in the tropical forests of some South American countries, namely northern Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. It is most often found in damp, swampy areas.

The body of the spider consists of the cephalothorax and abdominal sections. The eyes and eight legs make up the cephalothorax of the spider. The abdominal organ includes the spinal organ, heart and genitals. The excretory system runs through the entire body of the spider. The abdominal part of the female has an egg chamber.

Despite the fact that the spider has poor eyesight, it is able to see in the dark. Like all tarantulas, the goliath is a carnivore. Sitting quietly in ambush, it lies in wait for its prey, then pounces on it using its fangs.

Although the spider is called a tarantula, it does not feed on birds. It’s just that the spider was seen for the first time when it was eating a bird. Vertebrates and invertebrates such as mice, lizards, small snakes, beetles, and butterflies are the main diet of the goliath.

Representatives of the goliath tarantula who are 3 years old are considered adults (mature). Sometimes after mating, the female eats her “favorite”. The goliath has sharp spines on the first pair of limbs, which serve as its protection from the female. The male lives on average about 6 years. The female can be up to 14 years old.

The female lays from 200 to 400 eggs, which she incubates for two months. After the little spiders are born, the mother spider looks after them for several weeks, after which they lead an independent lifestyle.

The goliath tarantula is distinguished by aggressive character traits. Sensing danger, it emits a peculiar hissing sound due to the friction of the bristles on its legs. Fangs, the length of which is a couple of centimeters, as well as burning villi serve as protection. The fangs are poisonous, but not very toxic compared to other poisonous insects.

The refuge for these spiders are deep burrows, which previously served as a home for small rodents until they met their current owner. The entrance to the burrow is protected by cobwebs, and all the walls from the inside are also shrouded in it. Females spend most of their lives here, coming out only at night to hunt and during mating. Leaving the house for a long time is not in their rules. Often spiders hunt nearby and drag the prey to their lair.

Besides size, there is another difference between male and female. The males have small hooks on their front legs, with which he holds the female’s huge chelicerae during mating, saving his life in this way. The color of these spiders is most often dark brown, and there are reddish-brown hairs on their legs. Because of these numerous hairs, which also cover the entire body, these spiders are also jokingly called “fluffy”.

But this is not a decoration at all, but one of the means of protection against uninvited guests. The fact is, when these hairs get on the skin, lungs or mucous membranes of the mouth and nose, they cause severe irritation. In order for the “weapon” to reach its target, the spiders brush hairs from their abdomen in the direction of the enemy with sharp movements of their hind legs. In addition, they serve as an organ of touch for the spider. The hairs pick up the slightest vibrations of the earth and air. But they see poorly.

For a long time it was believed that the venom of the goliath tarantula is very dangerous and most often leads to death, but it turned out that this is far from the case. The effect of a spider bite can be compared to a bee sting. A small swelling appears at the site, which is accompanied by quite tolerable pain. Although for allergy sufferers its bite can be dangerous.

Spider venom has a paralyzing effect on the nervous system of smaller prey, such as frogs, small snakes, insects, rodents, lizards and other small animals. The victim is unable to move after being bitten.

To feed, tarantulas inject digestive juice into the body of the “dinner,” which breaks down soft tissue and allows the spider to suck out the liquid and eat the soft meat of its prey.

The most interesting thing is that the tarantula does not feed on birds. Well, if only in very rare cases, when a chick that has fallen from the nest gets in his way. The spider got its name thanks to the German entomologist and artist Maria Sibylla Merian, who was the first to sketch it. They show a spider eating a small hummingbird. This is where the name “tarantula” stuck to it. The official description of this tarantula spider belongs to the entomologist Latreille (1804).

The following information may seem a little wild to you, but among local residents these spiders are a delicacy and they use not only adult specimens, but also spider eggs. As a result, the population of these animals in their natural habitat is gradually decreasing.

This individual behaves quite aggressively and does not like to be picked up. And although the goliath’s venom is not very toxic, quite a lot of it is released.
If you have tarantula goliath, then the terrarium in which he lives will look not like a dish with soil, but like a place where a very serious animal lives. The terrarium for the spider should be spacious enough.
The terrarium can be either plastic or glass, horizontal type. The volumes should be on average 25-35 liters with a closing lid. The lid is needed to prevent your pet from suddenly deciding to take a walk outside the terrarium. Spiders should be kept separately due to their inherent cannibalism.
Sphagnum, pine sawdust, and vermiculite are used for bedding. The best solution would be to choose coconut substrate more than 5 cm as bedding. In order for the animal to have the opportunity to make a hole for itself, a coconut shell or a medium-sized piece of bark should be placed in the terrarium.
The temperature regime for normal maintenance should be within 22-26C, but they can easily tolerate a drop in temperature to 15C. The main thing is that the temperature of the engorged spider is not too low. In this case, there is a high probability of the onset of putrefactive processes of food in the spider’s stomach. Humidity should be high - 75-85%. If the humidity is insufficient, there may be a problem with the normal molting of the animal. To maintain humidity, install a water bowl and mist the terrarium regularly. Provide good ventilation, this will protect the spider from fungal infections.


The feeding process can take more than a day. The goliath spider feeds on small insects. Adults successfully cope with frogs and mice.
The feeding frequency of young spiders is twice a week, adults feed once a week, one and a half times. There is no need to feed young spiders with insects that are too large, i.e. such that would exceed the size of half the abdomen of a goliath. This can cause stress and, as a result, food refusal.


The maximum time that a goliath spider can go without food is about 6 months. But of course you shouldn’t experiment with your pet.

The most difficult period in the life of a spider is molting. At these moments you should not touch or irritate them. During molting, the Goliath tarantula and other spiders move little and do not eat anything. The regularity of shedding depends on the age of the animal. Young individuals shed regularly, but adults molt every two months or a year.

An interesting fact is that the web of tarantulas does not serve as a trap for the prey, like other representatives of this species; tarantulas are real hunters, they track and attack prey. Tarantulas wait for their prey in ambush and jump on it. This feature, as well as their coloring, has led local residents to call tarantulas “land tigers.”

Although the Goliath tarantula is considered the largest spider in the world, there is still one species that surpasses it in the span of its limbs, but is significantly inferior in body size - Heteropoda maxima, whose leg span reaches 30 centimeters. The largest specimen was discovered in 2001 in Laos, in one of the caves in Khammouane province.

But look how amazing spiders are, or for example The original article is on the website InfoGlaz.rf Link to the article from which this copy was made -

18.09.2013

Have you ever wondered what the world's largest spider looks like? Let's face it, most people have an irrational or overwhelming fear of spiders.

Whether you're an actual arachnophobe, just don't like 8-legged creatures, or perhaps, on the other hand, you're simply fascinated by them, the sight of the world's largest spider is bound to grab your attention. Undoubtedly, most of us are frightened by the sight of even the smallest spider, imagine what will happen when meeting with the world's largest spider! The world's largest spiders come in all forms, so let's take a look at 10 of them and see what we're really up against. It's always best to start with the least scary of hair-raising situations, so let's start with the 10th largest spider and work our way up to the world's largest.

No. 10. Wall tegenaria

Approaching 5.5 inches in size, this spider is quite rare in modern times. Native to Europe, it is found in North Africa, Central Asia, Uruguay and Argentina. In England, this creepy, brown spider is called the "Cardinal Spider" because Cardinal Wolsey was rumored to be terribly afraid of this species of spider. An interesting fact about these spiders is that their legs are about three times longer than their 3-inch body, making them even creepier than they already are.

No. 9. Nephila the gold-weaver

This spider is often compared to Nephil Jurassic, largest known extinct spider, who lived approximately 165 million years ago! Female golden moths, known for their silkworming ability, reach 6 inches including legs. Their coloration ranges from reddish to greenish-yellow, and their head and abdomen are distinctly white. Living in some of the warmest regions in the world, these spiders are found in Australia, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. Named for the golden webs they spin, these spiders love to live in shops and homes, and are excellent natural pest control specialists.

No. 8. Cerbal Arabian

One of the newest spider species, these "little" guys can reach up to 7.8 inches if we include their legs. Discovered in 2010, this spider is found in Israel and Jordan and lives in sand dunes and along the edges of salt marshes. These spiders are nocturnal and typically active during the hottest summer months, but much of their habitat and behavior is an unexplored mystery. The body of this large spider is silver-gray, and the legs shimmer with black and silver, certainly its distinctive feature, without which it is impossible to imagine this spider!

No. 7. Brazilian Wandering Spider

With legs measuring almost 6 inches long and a body measuring 2 inches long, these spiders start to scare us with their size. Add in the fact that they are one of the most poisonous species in the world, and we have a deadly combination. They live in the tropics of South and Central America, they are called “wanderers”, because of their habit of wandering through the jungle in search of prey. While some members of this species are more dangerous than others, they are all highly poisonous and should be avoided at all costs.

No. 6. Hysterocrates – Giant Baboon Spider

A member of the tarantula family, this big spider can reach up to 12 inches, including 8 inches of legs. They are often kept as pets because these spiders do not pose a threat to human life, despite the fact that they look terrifying. Found in subtropical and tropical zones, these spiders are nocturnal hunters and often prey on mammals, birds, reptiles, wasps and amphibians.

No. 5. Purple tarantula spider

Known for eating birds, this spider's body is just over 9 inches long, but that's not the limit. Native to Colombia, this spider lives in very humid tropical forests. The picture of a spider eating a bird is frightening in itself, but it should be noted that this spider is not a threat to humans.

No. 4. Camel spider

Camel spiders are also called sun spiders or sun scorpions and belong to the class Arachnidae, which has over 1,000 species. They got their name from their hump-shaped head, not from their close relationship to camels! Their diet includes insects, lizards, rodents and small birds, some individuals can reach 12 inches in length including legs.

No. 3. Goliath tarantula

A member of the tarantula family, this spider is one of the the world's largest spiders, reaching 12 inches in leg span. Found in the rainforests of South America, these spiders can weigh up to 6 ounces; The female's lifespan is 15 to 25 years, while the male typically lives only 3 to 6 years. Although they have fangs that can bite through human skin, their venom is fairly harmless, and spiders only attack when they feel threatened.

No. 2. Brazilian salmon-pink tarantula spider

Discovered in Brazil in 1917, these tarantulas are often kept as pets and are among the largest tarantulas in the world. reaching up to 12 inches in length, these spiders are known to prey on small snakes. Although these spiders are gaining popularity as pets, their speed and erratic behavior make them not the best choice for beginners.

No. 1. Spider-Hunter

biggest spider photo

The largest spider in the world– Huntsman spider, also known as the giant crab spider. The leg span can reach up to 12 inches in length, and they are perhaps the most unique looking spiders. Their legs are curved like a crab's (hence their nickname), and they are incredibly agile when hunting. They generally pose no threat to human life, but their ugly, huge appearance is enough to make even the most affable spider lover shudder.

About 42 thousand different species of spiders live on our planet. Most of them are harmless, but not members of this list. For those who suffer from arachnophobia, it is better not to look inside and save your nerves, because in this article we will show what does the biggest spider in the world look like and what he is capable of.

10. Nephila

A resident of Australia and America, which can sometimes be found even in Asia. The body size of males does not exceed 2 cm, females - 5 cm, but at the same time, if we take into account the length of the legs, then the nephila reaches 13 cm in size. It is very poisonous, its bite is not capable of killing a person, but it will certainly cause significant damage to the body.

9. Tegenaria


What is the largest spider in the world? Among those that huddle in people's homes, this is definitely a tegenaria. Together with the limbs, its size is 13 cm, but thanks to its bizarre curvature, it appears larger. It prefers abandoned buildings, but sometimes penetrates residential buildings.

8. Cerbal Arabian


Due to its nocturnal lifestyle, the cerbal was unknown to science for a long time. Scientists discovered it to the world only in 2003. It lives exclusively in the sands of Israel and since it is hot there during the day, it goes out hunting only at night. According to researchers, there are individuals measuring 20 cm.

7. Brazilian wandering spider


It is included in two lists at once, because in addition, it occupies a firm position in the ranking of the most poisonous spiders on the planet. Sometimes it feeds on birds, insects and lizards, and sometimes on bananas, which is why people often stumble upon it. The only saving grace is that the Brazilian representative of the arthropods is in no hurry to attack first.

6. Purple tarantula


It lives mainly in Colombia and is impressive with its volume - 34.5 cm. Due to its unusual color and the fact that it is harmless to humans, it often becomes a pet for those who are not interested in cats and dogs. However, you should still be careful with the tarantula, because it is often aggressive, and the hairs covering its body can cause itching or even allergies.

5. Baboon Spider


In the ranking of the 10 largest spiders in the world, this giant cannot be avoided. It earned its name thanks to its paws, which are very similar in both appearance and size to the fingers of a baboon. Hunting at night, it often kills its own relatives and has poison that can cause paralysis in a person for many hours.

4. Phalanx


An inhabitant of the desert area who skillfully avoids meeting the sun and has an unusual appearance that distinguishes it from other representatives of the spider genus. On average, its size with limbs is 30 cm and, although the phalanx does not possess poison, it can easily bite through human skin and cause blood poisoning.

3. Salmon pink tarantula spider


A lightning-fast assassin who attacks his prey and takes them down in seconds. Hunts birds, snakes and other creatures that are quite large for a spider. Another species that some people breed to keep in the house.

2. Crab spider


According to the photo, the largest spider in the world rejects itself. It does not have the most pleasant appearance, but this creature earned its name thanks to its curved legs, which allow it to move not only forward, but also quite quickly sideways. Lives exclusively in Australia and poses no threat to humans.

1. Goliath tarantula


– this is definitely a goliath, or as it is also called Teraphosis Blonda. It lives in the forests of South America, weighs at least two hundred grams, together with its paws has a size of more than 30 cm, and what sets it apart from others are fangs two centimeters long.

The average spider is typically between 4 and 6 centimeters in size. But there are also specimens that can amaze you with their size. To determine which are the largest spiders in the world, you need to consult the Guinness Book of Records.

Tarantula Theraphosa Blonda

The largest spiders are tarantulas. They were first found and described by the French entomologist Latreille back in 1804. In 1965, the largest tarantula was discovered in Venezuela by Pablo San Martin's expedition. His furry paws spanned exactly 28 centimeters.

This is enough to cover a regular dinner plate. It was this individual, a goliath tarantula, that was included in the Guinness Book of Records. However, later experts found an even larger spider.

bird eater

Shaggy eight-legged tarantula spiders are harmless, but in humans they only evoke antipathy and disgust. Spider venom is not dangerous and can be compared to wasp venom. But at first scientists considered them poisonous. But the benefits are obvious. Spiders are amazing creatures that many mistakenly classify as insects. But in fact, spiders are arthropods from the class of arachnids.

This species of spider is found in the tropical forests of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana, but single specimens have been recorded in Brazil and Venezuela. The animal does not justify its name “tarantula”. Due to its terrifying size and habitat in trees, the spider was believed to feed on birds. But the tarantula feeds only on frogs, small rodents, fledgling birds, lizards and small snakes. The tropics are a real paradise for the largest spider. Photos show that they live in deep burrows, rock crevices, tree hollows, and the entrance is covered with cobwebs. The tarantula does not weave a trap for its prey, but catches them itself. In addition to nets, they have another weapon - strong jaws. It is worth noting that spiders feed only on liquid food. They, as a rule, suck out the victim and leave only a dry shell of it.

In private collections, the tarantula Theraphosa Blonde can be found extremely rarely. For the reproduction of these spiders, seasonal changes in housing conditions are required. Therefore, such animals rarely breed in captivity. In addition, Teraphosa Blond spiders cannot be exported outside the many countries where they live.

Tarantula Theraphosa Blonda on video


By the way, the world record for the size of a tarantula spider was repeated. A two-year-old animal of this species, bred by Robert Bustard and raised by Brian Barnett, also had a paw span of 28 centimeters and weighed only 170 grams.

However, the largest tarantula spider was discovered in the Paris Museum. The discovery was made by a German biologist who was examining the exhibits. In a jar of formaldehyde, he found a tarantula spider, the length of whose legs reached 30 centimeters. This is two centimeters more than the current record. As it turned out, the spider was caught in 1939 in Laos, after which it was kept in a museum for many years.

Spider - nephila

These are the largest spiders that weave webs. They are also called banana spiders, giant tree spiders. And they are the real thunderstorm of birds.

The body size of this spider is from 1 to 4 centimeters, and the leg span can be up to 12 centimeters.


It is worth noting that female nephil spiders are much larger than males. The leg span of this giant fossil spider reached 15 centimeters. Even small birds are found among their victims. By the way, you can find such an animal in Australia, Africa, Asia, America and Madagascar.

There are currently 6 known fossil species of the genus Nephyla. Five of them are from the Neogene (Dominican amber, 16 million years old), one from the Eocene (USA, 34 million years old) and the Jurassic period (165 million years old).

The venom of these spiders is stronger, but not fatal to humans. It has a neurotoxic effect, like karakurt. The bite does not hurt the whole body, but only the affected area. After this, blisters appear and disappear within 24 hours. Sometimes allergic reactions to a nephil bite are possible, and asthmatics may have difficulty breathing. This genus of spiders has strong chelicerae, so a bite may leave a small scar on thin skin (for example, on the fingers).



Nephila weaves webs on tree branches. They are brilliant architects. And they very skillfully and skillfully weave a trap for their victims. “Yarn” is produced by special glands located on the abdomen. The properties of the threads still surprise scientists. The web is so elastic and strong that it can support more weight than standard threads of that thickness. By the way, once caught in the web of a nephila spider, the victim has no way to get out.

This web has already been used by fishermen from the coasts of the Pacific and Indian oceans. They collect nets, make a ball out of them and throw them into the water to catch fish.

South Russian tarantula

Also known as mizgir. It also has its place of honor in the ranking “The Biggest Spiders in the World.” They are found in Central Asia, Ukraine and southern Russia. The tarantula can mainly be found in desert, forest-steppe and steppe zones. The size of one spider is up to 3.5 centimeters - it is much smaller than tarantulas. The entire body is covered with hair, the color is brown-red, almost black.



Tarantula digs vertical burrows. Their depth can reach 30 and even 40 centimeters. The entire home is lined with cobwebs. If a tarantula senses an insect near a hole, it quickly jumps out of its shelter and catches the victim. Even those insects that accidentally crawled into a spider’s hole cannot escape. The tarantula is guided by the shadow of its prey, which runs along the entrance to the hole, and also senses the movement of passing insects. By the way, if you tie a button or plasticine ball to a thread and swing it near the hole, you can deceive the tarantula and lure it out. At night, spiders are more active; they get out of their shelter and move a short distance from the burrow. Their main prey are beetles and Orthoptera.

South Russian tarantula against the cockchafer

By the way, these spiders are poisonous, but they rarely bite humans. The pain of the bite can be compared to that of a hornet. The affected area is swollen and very painful. It must be burned immediately with a match. The tarantula's bite is shallow and injects venom into the skin. When cauterized, the poison decomposes under the influence of temperature. Bites are especially painful in children. They may not go away within 2-3 days.

Cross spider

This type of spider is even smaller than a tarantula. The size of the female is from 1.7 to 2.6 centimeters. The male is even smaller. They live mainly in Europe. You can also find them in Russia, for example, in the Astrakhan, Smolensk, Rostov regions, as well as in Altai.



The spider waits for its prey on the web. It sits either in the center or nearby on the signal thread. The main food is mosquitoes and flies. But if something poisonous gets caught in the net, the cross spider breaks the threads and frees its nets. Usually the web of the cross can be seen on the crowns of trees, between the branches. Threads can be immediately seen when visiting a forest, neglected grove or garden. The venom of the cross spider is toxic to vertebrates and invertebrates. Heat-labile hemolysin, which is part of the poison, acts on the red blood cells of rabbits, mice, rats and even humans.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen

Is there a spider in the world? Let's face it—people have a certain fear of arthropods.

If you're a victim of arachnophobia (an inexplicable fear of spiders), or you just don't like creatures with eight limbs, or you just... fascinated by these creatures, information about the largest of them is worthy of attracting attention.

Spiders evoke different feelings in people

Most people at least sometimes were scared at the sight of a little spider. Imagine what it feels like to come into contact with the largest arthropods in the world!

The world's largest arachnid species are different shapes And forms, so let's take a look at the 10 largest representatives of this order and see what we're dealing with.

It's useful to prepare yourself for possible dire situations, so let's start from 10th place, and gradually work our way to the world's largest eight-legged monster.


10. Tegenaria parietin

Wall tegenaria is found in:

  • Central Asia
  • North Africa
  • Argentina
  • Uruguay.

In England, he is called the “cardinal”, as there is a legend that tells of the great fright that Cardinal Wolsey experienced when meeting a brown, scary arthropod. Wall tegenaria lives in old buildings or caves.

The color of Tegenaria parietin is usually pale. The first segments on the front pairs of legs are colored characteristic dark brown color, more clearly expressed in males.

The wall tegenaria Spider seems even more creepy thanks to its legs, which are three times longer than the body, which is 7.5 cm long. This rare “spider” in our time is the largest in Europe, reaching from 13 to 15 cm with straightened legs .

Tegenarii – best runners for short distances among their fellows. They do not know how to swaddle prey in a cocoon, but weave nets - a thick layer of loose cobwebs, in which the caught insect actually drowns.

Females carry the egg cocoon with them until the spiders hatch and leave it.


9. Nephila edulis

Nephila golden weaver or golden silk ball weaver. Nephila goldworm poison for humans not lethal, but very toxic. Symptoms after a bite disappear only after a day.

This predatory arthropod is a relative of the fossil arthropod species Nephila Jurassica, who lived about 165 million years ago (during the Jurassic period).

Coloration varies from greenish-yellow to reddish, and the head and abdomen are white.

The body length of female nephila golden moths, distinguished by their ability to weave large nets, reaches 4 cm, and with straightened legs - 12 cm. Males are much smaller - with their legs, their length is 7 mm.

The species is divided into two types:

  1. jumping, chasing prey in leaps
  2. running, capable of developing quite high speed.

Lead nocturnal, hiding during the day under stones or in other shelters, including in human dwellings.

They hunt insects and other arthropods, but can also attack lizards and birds that are larger than them. Phoneutria are different banana addiction, for which they are called bananas.


6. Hysterocrates Spider

Giant baboon spider. Per person attacks only in defense. The bite is not fatal, but causes nausea. Despite their terrifying appearance, Hysterocrates Spiders do not pose a serious threat to humans and are often kept as pets.

Lives in tropical and subtropical forests and belongs to the burrowing species. Coloration varies from matte black-gray to orange-brown. Although the legs of this tarantula are covered with hairs, there are no protective hairs on the body, like other Old World tarantulas.

This large spider, also known as the Red Cameroon Baboon, whose dimensions reach 30.5 cm, 20 of which are in the length of the legs, is a member of the tarantula family.

It is nocturnal and feeds on invertebrates such as:

  • crickets
  • cockroaches
  • butterflies
  • small spiders
  • small vertebrates - mice and other living creatures.

It kills prey by injecting poison. When danger arises:

  1. stands on its hind legs
  2. takes a threatening pose
  3. slaps its front legs on the ground, making sounds resembling a grinding sound.

Females lay their eggs in a pouch that contains hundreds of eggs. Although most arthropods kill each other for food, siblings of a given species share food, live together for about 6 months, and individual individuals even subsequently share burrows and a tunnel system.


5. Xenesthis immanis

Purple tarantula. Often kept as exotic pets despite their aggressiveness. They love to dig long tunnels and run fast. Cobwebs are not used to make traps; they ambush prey.

Inhabiting tropical rainforests, Xenesthis immanis is found in:

  • Colombia
  • Ecuador
  • Venezuela
  • Panama.

Despite the terrifying sight that can be seen when it eats birds, This tarantula is not dangerous for humans.

Named for its ability to feed on birds, the purple tarantula, a member of the tarantula family, reaches a length of 23 cm, given the leg span, and this is not the limit.

The main food is insects:

  1. crickets
  2. cockroaches
  3. relatively small spiders,

but they can also eat:

  • frog
  • small rodents

Females live more than 15 years, males live 2-3 years.


4. Camel

Camel spider. Representatives of this order received the name “camel spider” due to the presence of a hump on the head, and not because of kinship with camels!

In appearance, the phalanges resemble spiders; they differ in body structure - the body is divided into three sections, not two; There are differences in the structure of the limbs.

Camel or sun spiders, sun scorpions, wind scorpions, they are also phalanges - a detachment of arachnids, numbering more than 1000 species.

The body size ranges from 5 to 7 cm, but some species reach 30.5 cm including the length of the limbs.

Brown-yellow body and limbs of wind scorpions cover long hairs, and the tentacles located in front resemble limbs and perform their function.

Phalanges are nocturnal predators whose diet includes:

  1. termites
  2. darkling beetles
  3. small arthropods
  4. lizards
  5. small rodents
  6. chicks

They live in desert areas on all continents, with the exception of Australia.

All arachnids of this order are very mobile; individual individuals can develop speed up to 16 km/h.

It is interesting that when the phalanx attacks produce a chirping or high-pitched squeak by rubbing the chelicerae(oral appendages) against each other.


3. Goliath Birdeater

Goliath tarantula. Like all tarantulas, the goliath has powerful fangs, reaching 2 cm and capable of biting through human skin. Goliaths bite only in self-defense, most often without injecting poison, and the poison itself is not dangerous to humans.

Goliath tarantulas are found in the tropical forests of South America. They live in deep burrows lined with cobwebs at the entrance, and weight reaches 170 grams.

The average lifespan of females is from 15 to 25 years, while the lifespan of males is from 3 to 6 years.

This huge spider belongs to the tarantula family and reaches a length of up to 30 cm, including the length of the limbs, and the body length is 10 cm.

The goliath does not weave a complex web, preferring to sneak up unnoticed and attack the victim with lightning speed, paralyzing her with a bite poisonous fangs.

The diet includes:

  • frogs
  • lizards
  • mice
  • small snakes

but, despite its name, it almost does not eat birds.

Interesting features of the goliath tarantula include the ability to produce chelicerae by friction loud hissing sounds, audible at a distance of up to 5 meters.

They also use the red-brown hairs that cover their body as a defense mechanism. Their goliath shakes them off its belly towards the enemy, which irritates mucous membranes enemy's mouth and nose.


2. Lasiodora parahybana

Brazilian salmon-pink tarantula. In nature, these voracious tarantulas hunt any prey of suitable size, including small snakes. They usually hunt in hiding, but can move very quickly.

Despite the popularity of Lasiodora parahybana among arachnid lovers, due to the activity and unstable, often aggressive behavior of the salmon-pink tarantula not recommended for beginners.

Discovered in 1917 in Brazil and found exclusively in the eastern part of Brazil, the large spider, reaching 30.5 cm including the length of its legs, is often kept as a pet.

Males have a slender body and longer legs, females are much larger- weight reaches 100 grams or more. The lifespan of females is 12-15 years.

Like other tarantulas, Lasiodora parahybana uses its hind legs to defend itself from predators shakes off hairs, causing a strong allergic reaction, from the upper part of the abdomen, and if this technique does not work, raises the two front pairs of legs and takes an attacking stance.


1. Huntsman Spider

Spider-Hunter. A distinctive feature of the females of this family is active protection their cocoons for eggs and hatched spiders from any threat.

The spider living in Australia is also known in the world as giant crab spider, because the legs are curved like the legs of a crab.

Large individuals reach 30.5 cm in length, taking into account the size of their legs.

For their passion for wooden buildings they are also called giant arboreal.

The structure of the legs allows representatives of this family to climb into narrow places:

  1. into the crevices
  2. under the bark of trees
  3. between logs and so on.

The coloring is usually protective - gray or light brown, but many species have:

  • white
  • black and white
  • reddish spots.

The spines on the legs are quite noticeable, but the rest of the body is furry.

These arthropods are called hunters or huntsmen because hunting manners and because of movement speed. They are capable of making large jumps.

Poison is used to immobilize the victim. not fatal to humans. They feed mainly on insects and other invertebrates, and sometimes small geckos.

People are only bitten when encountered in barns, garages and other rarely visited places.

Huntsman spiders considered useful, because they destroy pests (cockroaches and so on), but their mere appearance is enough to cause trembling even a big fan of arachnids.

Video about how big spiders hunt

Views