If you have arachnophobia,
you might want to look away.
Because what you are about to see will terrify you.
It's got massive fangs
and eight glossy, black eyes.
It's creepy,
it's crawly
and it can launch its barbed hairs at you.
Meet the Goliath bird-eating spider.
Geez,
this thing looks like it came straight out of Shelob's lair.
Goliath bird-eating spiders
live in the temperate rainforests
of northern South America,
in countries like Venezuela,
Brazil
and Guyana.
They spend most of their time
in underground burrows or beneath rocks and roots.
They're considered a delicacy in some places.
Usually grilled, roasted or deep-fried,
they have been described as tasting like shrimp.
I'll take their word for it
Like other tarantulas,
the Goliath is an arachnid.
But it's not just any arachnid.
This legendary creature
is the heaviest, and overall,
it's the largest of its kind.
However, it is second in leg length behind
Australia's equally frightening huntsman spider.
But don't worry, we'll save it for another episode.
The Goliath typically weighs in at a hulking 170 g (6 oz)
and can grow
up to 30 cm (1 ft) long.
It's about as big as, if not bigger than, a dinner plate.
That's something to think about next time you're eating
a plate of fries.
It's no surprise that a spider
that magnitude would have a monstrous appetite.
But despite having "bird-eating" in its name,
birds are not the spider's main source of food.
They got this name because of an 18th-century engraving
that depicted a tarantula eating a hummingbird.
While they can and do eat small birds from time to time,
these spiders are ambush predators
that patiently wait
for prey to cross their path.
This makes birds difficult prey for the ground-dwelling
tarantula since birds can fly away.
As nocturnal creatures,
the cover of night aids in the Goliath's ability to find a meal.
They feast on a variety of critters ranging from beetles
to bats, snakes and lizards.
When they do catch a meal,
whatever it is,
the tarantulas inject their prey
with a tissue-dissolving venom through their large,
not-scary-at-all fangs.
When the prey's viscera is liquefied,
the tarantula sucks it out like a milkshake through a straw.
How's that for imagery?
Surprisingly, despite having eight eyes,
Goliath bird-eating spiders have poor vision
and rely heavily on their highly attuned leg hairs,
which are sensitive to vibrations,
to warn them of danger.
These hairs are tipped with stinging barbs
and are called urticating hairs.
When these tarantulas feel threatened,
they blast these hairs from their abdomens
like pepper spray,
irritating their predator's skin, eyes or nose.
In addition to being a defense mechanism,
Goliaths also use their urticating hairs
to communicate with each other.
By rubbing them together,
they produce an eerie hissing noise.
Great. Another reason to fear these arachnids.
If you're wondering
whether this eight-legged freak can kill you,
the answer is,
"not likely".
Though they are venomous,
they only attack humans when provoked.
And they usually deliver a dry bite, similar to a wasp sting.
So unless you are
allergic to Goliath bird-eating spider venom,
you won't die from its bite.
You may be traumatized though.
I know I would be if I got bitten by a spider
the size of a dinner plate.
And if you're the type of person who has a
special affinity for these fuzzy, cartoon-like spiders,
it's not ideal to keep one as a pet.
These spiders have
specific space and habitat requirements.
If you thought this was the only bird-eating bug, well,
I'm sorry to say it's not.
On Australia's Phillip Island,
there are massive centipedes that will also snack on birds.
Check out our episode on giant bird-eating centipedes
to see them in action.
Being the world's biggest spiders
and hissing with their hairs
is what Goliath bird-eating spiders do.
And that's what makes them