MICHELLE: TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT CREEPY CRAWLERS.
WE GO TO THE ORLANDO SCIENCE CENTER.
WE ARE BACK FOR ANOTHER EDITION OF THE SCIENCE OF IT STOP RIGHT NOW, WE ARE DOING PREDATOR VERSUS PRAY WITH HANNAH.
WE ARE SOCIALLY DISTANT BUT YOU ARE HOLDING A SCARY TARANTULA.
>> I’VE GOT MY FUZZY FRIEND JUANITA STOP SHE IS A PINK TOAD TARANTULA.
THESE TARANTULAS ARE FROM SOUTH AMERICA AND THEY GET THEIR NAME FROM THE PINK TOES.
THEY ARE BIG JUMPERS BUT THEY DON’T ALWAYS HAVE PINK TOES.
THEY DO NOT HAVE ENOUGH VENOM TO BE HARMFUL TO PEOPLE.
YOU NEVER HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT TARANTULAS.
NO TARANTULA HAS ENOUGH VENOM TO DO ANY HARM.
MICHELLE: WHY ARE WE SO SCARED OF THEM?
>> THEY WILL DO A THREAT DISPLAY.
THESE ARE WARNING SIGNS?
SHE WILL REAR UP ON HER BACK LEGS.
SHE WILL SHOW THOSE BIG VENOMOUS FANGS AND LET PEOPLE KNOW THAT YOU DON’T WANT TO MESS WITH ME.
AFTER THAT, IF YOU CONTINUE TO BOTHER HER, SHE WILL DO SOMETHING CALLED HAIR PLAY.
SHE HAS SPECIAL HAIRS ON THE BACK OF HER ABDOMEN AND SHE WILL KICK OFF WITH HER HINDLEGS.
MATT: MICHELLE: SO SHE’S GOING TO FLICK CARE AT YOU?
>>>> YES AND IT’S UNPLEASANT FEELING.
MICHELLE: SO SHE’S GIVING YOU ENOUGH OF A WARNING THAT YOU SHOULD STOP MESSING WITH HER.
WE ARE BIGGER THAN SHE IS SO MESSING WITH HER IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.
MICHELLE: IS THIS GENERALLY THEIR DEMEANOR?
>> YES, TARANTULAS ARE QUITE DOCILE.
THEY’RE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR PETS.
I WOULD ALWAYS WANT YOU TO DO YOUR RESEARCH BEFORE GETTING ANY PET BUT BESIDES THOSE IRRITATING HAIRS ON THEIR ABDOMEN, THEY ALSO HAVE HAIR ALL OVER THEIR BODY.
THE USE THAT TO SEE SO EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE EIGHT EYES, THEY DON’T HAVE THE BEST EYESIGHT.
THEY WILL USE THE HAIRS TO FEEL VIBRATION AND THEN THEY CAN FIND OUT WHOSE NEARBY.
IT MIGHT BE A PREDATOR OR MIGHT BE FOOD SO THEY DON’T WANT TO SINK THEIR FANGS INTO PEOPLE BUT THEY WANT TO SINK THEIR FANS INTO COCKROACHES.
THESE COCKROACHES ARE FOUND IN FOREST AND HELP CLEAN UP OUR FORESTS.
MICHELLE: NOW I’M GOING >> TO MOVE OVER.
I WILL TAKE ONE OUT AND SPENCER WILL HELP GIVE US A BETTER VIEW.
DEATH HAD COCKROACHES MAY LOOK SCARY AND THEY HAVE THAT NAME BUT THEY ARE NOT DEADLY.
THEY GET THE NAME BECAUSE OF THE LITTLE SKULL ON THE TOP OF THEIR HEAD.
I THINK IT LOOKS MORE LIKE A JACK-O’-LANTERN, PERFECT FOR HALLOWEEN TIME.
THEY HAVE WINGS BUT THEY ARE TOO HEAVY TO FLY.
THEY EAT ABOUT ONE TIMES THEIR BODY WEIGHT EVERY DAY.
THAT’S A LOT TO EAT.
MICHELLE: BECAUSE THEY CAN’T EAT AND THEY ARE PREY OF THE TARANTULA, THEY CAN RUN AWAY?
>> THEY WILL STILL USE THEIR WINGS TO MOVE FAST.
BESIDES THAT, THE THEY OF THE REALLY TINY LEGS WHERE THEY CAN MOVE FAST.
ALL OF OUR ANIMALS PLAY A -- AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN OUR ECOSYSTEM.
WE ARE GOING TO PUT HIM BACK.
MICHELLE: I APPRECIATE THAT.
NOW THAT IT’S JUST ME AND YOU, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT WAS VERY EDUCATIONAL.
>> EVEN THE SMALLEST CREEPY CRITTERS HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN OUR ECOSYSTEM SO COME TO NATURE WORKS AND CHECK OUT OUR ANIMALS AND LEARN ABOUT THE ROLES THEY PLAY IN OUR
ECOSYSTEM.
MICHELLE: THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THANK YOU FOR HELPING ME BE HERE IN THE PRESENCE OF A COCKROACH.
THAT WILL DO IT TODAY FOR US ON THE SCIENCE OF IT.
MATT: NO FEAR FROM OUR FRIENDS OF THE SCIENCE CENTER.
YOU CAN SEE THE OTHER STUFF ON DISPLAY THERE INCLUDING THE UPCOMING EXHIBIT, IT’S OPEN EVERY DAY FIX FOR THIS COMING WEDNESDAY FOR CLEANING AND THE NEW EXHIBIT IS POMPE