From the minuscule to the mammoth, spiders – the twilling tapestry weavers – come in an intriguing array of sizes. Among these misty veil crafters, one that stands out as the biggest one ever to scuttle across the Earth is the Goliath Birdeater.
Do you know that despite being named bird eaters, these mighty creatures don’t primarily feast on birds?
Triumphing in the deep rainforests of northern South America, these colossal eight-legged skittering storytellers lead a whimsical life woven into the threads of mystery and wonders.
In this fantabulous article, we will tour the life journey of this titan of arachnids – the largest spider in the world.
Meet Goliath Birdeater – the Arachnid Rockstar
As mentioned, the Goliath birdeater (Theraphosa blondi), a species of tarantula, is the world’s biggest spider by body length and mass and stands second to the giant huntsman spider by leg span. Their massive body weighs a staggering 175 g (6.2 oz)) while the length measured is up to 13 cm (5.1 in). Its legs span around 12 inches (30.5 cm).
This massiveness is a deterrent to predators, making them less vulnerable to hunting attacks. They can also sense the movement or vibration of a nearby predator or prey using their highly developed specialised sensory hairs. It helps them retreat to the safety of their hidden spots or silk-lined burrows when a predator is nearby.
Address them as Goliath tarantula or Goliath bird-eating spider as well, and say hi to these mighty sneaks of the crevices!
From reddish-brown to black, Goliath bird eaters boast a range of hues while also sporting distinctive spines on the third and fourth pair of legs. This unique body colour helps it to seamlessly blend with the surroundings.
The hairy body of the bird eater consists of two parts – the cephalothorax (head combined with neck) and the abdomen. Besides the eight legs, it has two appendages at the front and two fangs (chelicerae) tucked under the body.
The sturdy physique with a powerful abdomen serves as a nutrient reservoir of this mighty spider to ensure they never run short of energy in between meals.
What Bird Eaters Call Their House
If you want to have a glimpse of this awe-inspiring marvel, visit the upland tropical rainforests in northern South America: Venezuela, Guyana, north Brazil, French Guiana, and Suriname where they call silk-lined burrows their home-sweet-home. They are mostly found prowling the dense burrows in swampy, or marshy regions of the Amazon rainforest.
From tree trunks and gravels to leaf litter and forest floors – birdeaters build their microhabitats almost everywhere in these areas. The high humidity, sometimes exceeding 80%, with high temperatures ranging from 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit make tropical rainforests ideal habitats for the biggest spiders of the World.
This environment is optimal for foliage and various prey to grow abundantly while also making it effortless for the spiders to build their burrow. How gracefully bird eaters thrive in one of the most ecologically diverse regions of the world – the rainforests of South America is a testament to the excellent adaptability and resilience of these creatures.
What Goliath Spider Bird Eaters Eat
Despite its name, the Goliath birdeater – the biggest spider in the world – rarely preys on birds. In the wild, they usually enjoy big buffets of insects and various terrestrial vertebrates including worms, frogs, snakes, lizards, toads, small rodents, different arthropods, amphibians, and whatnot!
They are the ultimate opportunistic predators in the wild that never feast on their prey in the open; rather, they drag the prey to their burrow, liquefy its inside, and stuff their faces with their favourite meals dry.
How Brideaters Hunt Their Prey
The body hue of birdeaters often makes them unnoticeable to their prey. They hide inside their burrows/retreats or wait in a camouflage position for their prey to pass by. They use their super-powerful sensory hair to locate their prey.
Once the prey comes within a favourable striking position, the spiders, using their thong-like flanges like hypodermic needles, inject neurotoxin venom into the prey to subdue it.
Once the prey is immobilised, they skillfully drag it back to their burrows where they use their pedipalps and flanges to feast on the prey and extract vital nutrients. Taking prey to the burrow and then eating it maximises feeding efficiency while also enabling maximum consumption of nutrients.
These mighty tarantulas are nocturnal by nature, meaning they are mostly active during night which helps them avoid predators they feed on spiders during the daytime.
Lifespan
Goliath birdeaters – the behemoth silkweaver of South America live for around 10-15 years when they get the care of their human pals. While the lifespan of a female bird eater can be as long as 20 years, male tarantulas die at the age of three to six.
Reproduction and Lifecycle
Like all tarantulas, goliath birdeaters also go through multiple moulting processes to easily accumulate their increasing body size. Through moulting, the tarantula sheds its old exoskeleton and emerges with a new one underneath that supports its growth.
After several stages of moulting, they attain maturity when various hormonal changes trigger the maturation of moulting in male bird eaters. At this stage, they develop a specialised structure underneath their front legs called the “hooking finger.”
It helps the male tarantula to grip and clamp hold of the female’s fangs during the mating process. After successfully mating with a female spider, the male bird eater says goodbye to the world within a few months!
By this time, the matured female Goliath might have moulted so that she doesn’t lose the acquired sperm. To lay eggs, the female spider constructs a spider’s web. A goliath birdeater can lay around 50-200 eggs at a time that get fertilised as they are passed out of their mother’s body.
She then encases the eggs in a protective sac or ball containing around 70 spiderlings, that she attaches to her abdomen or spinnerets and carries. It’s a unique behaviour of goliath birdeaters as other tarantulas don’t carry their eggs along with them.
Now, as these spiderlings grow, they undergo several moulting – typically five to seven times in the first year – and attain maturity in two to three years to develop into adult spiders.
The Biggest Spider in The World: The Goliath Birdeater
- How about taking a bite of these predatory spiders dipped in your favourite sauce? Don’t get astounded; they taste shrimp-like and are used to prepare a popular culinary cuisine in northeast South America.
- Female Goliath birdeaters are usually larger than their male counterparts. After mating, they sometimes eat their male counterparts to get some extra nutrients for laying eggs. This sexual cannibalism is common among spiders.
- They are named bird-eaters due to a historical misconception when early explorers noticed these mighty spiders and thought they might prey on birds.
- These titans of the forest floor hiss using their flanges and pedipalps when they need to startle predators.
Role in the Ecosystem
As an apex predator, Goliath birdeater, by feeding on insects, helps control their population. The silk-lined burrows they build also house various small creatures, promoting habitat diversity. In addition, when they die, their body remains are eaten up by scavengers, which substantially enriches the ecosystem.
This critter-loving massive spider is truly an enigmatic rockstar, strutting and rocking the forest floor with flair. Blending allure with peril, this mysterious tarantula gives a sense of intrigue to the dynamic rainforest ecosystem.
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