Buzz
Despite not spinning webs, this giant spider species possesses a plethora of cunning strategies to hunt prey.
Arachnophobia, also known as the fear of spiders, is one of the most common phobias affecting humans. Even the smallest and most harmless house spiders can evoke terror in those afflicted with this phobia.
If you suffer from Arachnophobia, you might want to skip this article, as today we'll introduce the Theraphosa blondei (T. Blondi), the world's largest spider.
This spider species boasts an immensely large size and giant fangs, yet it poses no threat to humans unless you're allergic to spider hair. Although its fangs contain venom, like most other spider species, its bite is no more painful than a bee sting.
T. Blondi's body size can reach up to 12 cm, and when you include its leg span, it can stretch up to 28 cm. This colossal spider can weigh up to 170 grams.
Rick West, one of the world's foremost spider experts, actually dined on a T. Blondi spider during an Amazon expedition. This peculiar meal was prepared by the local Piaroa people using a special recipe and cooking technique.
According to West, the spider's flesh tastes akin to shrimp while its contents are carefully boiled in rolled leaves, imparting a gritty and bitter flavor. And after concluding this somewhat 'horrifying' meal, people utilize the spider's 2 cm long fangs as toothpicks.
This giant spider also goes by another name, the bird-eating spider, although it seldom preys on birds. Its moniker 'bird-eating spider' is a misnomer, possibly stemming from an 18th-century engraving depicting another giant spider devouring a bird.
In reality, the T. Blondi spider prefers consuming insects and worms. However, given the opportunity, this giant spider will not hesitate to feast on other animals such as frogs, lizards, and various amphibians.
Some particularly extraordinary specimens of this species can even hunt larger prey. During a night in the Peruvian rainforest, Michael Grundler of the University of Michigan witnessed firsthand how a giant spider of this species killed and devoured an opossum (Marmosa murina).
Grundler stated: 'The marsupial was seized by the spider and was still weakly struggling at that point, but after about 30 seconds, it became motionless. We were quite shocked and couldn't truly believe what we were seeing.'
Just like all other giant spiders, they swiftly pounce on prey and employ their large fangs to bite and kill.
That doesn't mean T. Blondi doesn't produce and use silk like many other spider species. These spiders typically inhabit shallow burrows beneath the forest floor, where they line their super-strong silk threads to reinforce the stability of their burrow structure.
This shelter is crucial for both hunting and escaping T. Blondi's predators. In the Amazon rainforest, there are plenty of lurking dangers. If a predator attempts to attack T. Blondi, it can use its massive fangs to defend itself. However, first, they deploy their first line of defense consisting of itchy hair running along their abdomen.
These tiny, tree-shaped hairs are highly irritating and itchy, capable of causing death to small mammals like mice if inhaled. T. Blondi simply needs to rub its legs against its abdomen to release a barrage of these sharp hairs into the air, causing significant damage.
When the hairs rub against each other, this giant spider also produces a loud squeal that can be heard from up to 4-5 meters away. This sound sometimes can deter predators, making them fearful.
During the breeding season, females will lay 50 to 200 eggs in a giant silk sack. This sack is the size of a tennis ball covered in itchy hairs to protect them from predators.
Mother spiders will carry their egg sacs wherever they feel safe. Instead of being fertilized internally, these eggs are fertilized after they leave the mother spider's body.
Spiderlings will begin hatching 6 to 8 weeks after the eggs are laid, but it will take two to three more years before they reach adulthood, a very long time for a spider.
During this time, spiderlings may molt five or six times as they grow.
Female spiders can live up to twenty years, but males usually don't live past three years, often dying shortly after mating.
Some argue that the giant huntsman spider (Heteropoda maxima) is actually the largest spider in the world. This is truly a formidable spider, with its long, slender legs reaching up to 30 cm. However, currently, the Guinness World Records recognizes T. Blondi as the largest spider. Additionally, their bodies may also be significantly larger than those of the giant huntsman spider.
