On Good Friday we took two new team mates, Brian and Sara Weyandt, for a hike in the Braulio Carillo National Forest - just a five minute drive from our house. Walking along the trail we encountered a "fellow-hiker." I've learned a lot about tarantulas since we got to observe this one close-up. There are over 800 species of tarantula, so it shouldn't surprise you that we aren't sure of the name of this one! We think it might be a "Costa Rican Red-legged Tarantula." It's legspan was about 6 inches. The body was very black and velvety and the "knees" were bright red.
Here are some of the interesting facts I learned about tarantulas. The male usually lives from 2 months to 3 1/2 years. The female can live over 20! They feed on insects and baby rodents. They have very small brains and are fragile - can be killed by a fall. They are venomous, but there are no recorded deaths of humans caused by a tarantula. They have itch-causing hairs, particularly on their abdomens, and some can kick these hairs into the air to defend themselves. They grow by molting. During the molting process they lay upside down. Rarely does the female kill the male, but just in case, once the mating is done, the male makes a quick dash to avoid possibile demise at the "hands" of his lover. During mating, he grasps her fangs to keep her from attacking him. They have poor eyesight, but their hairs are sensors for temperature changes, smell, and detecting vibrations in the air. The largest tarantula recorded had a 13 inch legspan!
That's probably more than you wanted to know about tarantulas. So far, we have never seen one near our house, so don't let the photo of this one keep you from visiting!
