World's Biggest Spider Explained

National Geographic ^ | October 31, 2013 | Carrie Arnold

[EveningStar]

In a world where even the smallest spiders can provoke a fearful shriek, Theraphosa blondi takes scare tactics to a whole new level.

This South American tarantula holds the record for world's largest spider. Other spiders might have longer legs, but T. blondi's large body means its overall weight can reach 6 ounces (170 grams).

Commonly known as the Goliath birdeater due to an 18th-century engraving showing another member of the tarantula family eating a hummingbird--which gave the entire Theraphosa genus the nickname of "bird eaters"--the gargantuan spider is not quite as menacing as it might seem.

[CrazyIvan]

I'll take the big guy any day. I still have a divot out of my forearm where a brown recluse nailed me decades ago.

[Mears]

“Surely, that has got to be the ONLY reason. “

—

Nope,the Bruins and Red Sox are reasons 2 and 3.:-)

.

[RandallFlagg]

GAD! If I saw that, that homeowner would have a LOT of holes in that siding.

[RegulatorCountry]

At least a big one like that can’t fit inside a shoe or a glove like a Brown Recluse. That’s how many get bitten.

[Uncle Chip]

Is that a Banksy???

[Antihero101607]

I’m surprised nobody put in a camel spider picture yet.

[diamond6]

The movie Eight Legged Freaks literally freaked me out.....shiver!

[diamond6]

How did you get bitten?

[muir_redwoods]

I really don’t want to meet whatever it was that took off one of its legs.

[EEGator]

[Zionist Conspirator]

Squee! Spiders are so adorable!

Of course, I much prefer Labidognatha to Orthognatha, because the latter have those prickles they kick onto you.

[RandallFlagg]

YIKES!!
Tell that lady to move aside so I can open fire!

[Zionist Conspirator]

Now that's more like it! Yeah, baby . . . yeah!!!

[hal ogen]

LIBs/DIMs “scare” me more than spiders. At least spiders have some value.

[EEGator]

I would never put my face anywhere near that thing.

[Antihero101607]

Thank you.

[skinkinthegrass]

was just in time for Hollow's eve!

[Ax]

A guy I worked for in the USAF in 1963 had a heck of a spider story. He spent WWII in Brazil, working as Air Controller for aircraft being ferried to Africa. He was out at a remote site at Dawn once. While on the porch for a smoke, he witnessed a South American bird spider doing what it was born to do. An early bird was searching for breakfast when the spider ambushed the bird and had the bird for breakfast. My boss said it took him right up to the Korean War to get over it.

[jmacusa]

Spiders being arachnids and not insects who for the most part have a hardened exoskeleton, spiders have a soft exoskeleton. In an insect the larger the the bug, in the Hollywood Sci-Fi tradition that is, the exoskeleton would weigh too much and crush the insect under it's own weight. And although this is a photo-shopped picture of what appears to be Lycosidae lenta( a species of wolf spider,( my favorite) I don't think it inconceivable under the right conditions to produce a spider, maybe not quite this size but near enough.

[EEGator]

You’re welcome.