Worlds Biggest Spider
An Intimidating Description Of The World’s Biggest Spider
You will hear little debate as the record holder for the world’s biggest spider, though some fans of the subphylum crustacea of the genus arachnid have tried to give scientists a run for their money. Some enthusiasts have nominated the Giant Japanese Spider Crab as the largest spider known to man, but this nomination is clearly defunct by scientific evidence. The crab is a crustacean, the spider is an arachnid, and that is the difference between the black kettle and the black pot. The true winner of the world’s biggest spider for 2 million years and counting is still The Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula.
An awesome and relatively harmless member of the species theraphosa blondi, this spider can reach twelve inches in length from leg tip to opposite leg tip. He burrows deep within cool, damp regions such as tropical swamp areas, and prefers using the abandoned tunnels of field mice and snakes as opposed to digging his own. Weighing in at an astronomical 120 grams, he can seem almost unreal when gazing upon him live. His bite, while extremely painful due to the enormous size of his fangs, generally causes only local pain which subsides within days. Of course, on the very rare occasion that one is allergic to his slight poison, a mild flu like illness could set in for a few days. He is basically all bark, or should I say rub, and little bite.
On the subject of rubbing, the world’s biggest spider communicates by rubbing the hairs of his enormous legs together, emitting a distinctive hissing sound which is detectable to humans at fifteen feet away. He has yet another talent which is shared by no other member of the arachnid family. He can shoot the stiff hair out of his body toward predators when he feels threatened, causing irritation to human skin and tender areas such as the nostrils and mouth. Glandular discomfort can also result, so if you wish to meet the world’s biggest spider in person, make sure he has been raised and handled by kind humans. Most insect enthusiasts make beloved pets of such amazing spiders.
The Goliath Bird Eating Tarantula is actually rarely caught with a bird in his den, as his name suggests. An early accounting by a Victorian explorer found this spider feeding on a tiny hummingbird, hence his name and reputation would live on in infamy. He actually prefers ground dwelling mammals and invertebrates, such as field mice, frogs, small snakes, baby rabbits and the like. His method for liquefying the innards of his prey is not via poison or venom, but by a concentrated serum which actively breaks down the proteins within the body so that they might be sucked out with little effort and at the tarantula’s leisure.