Tarantula

Tarantulas are the largest spiders in the world - some in Central America are as big as a dinner plate! There are about 30 species in Arizona, ranging in size from 2 - 3 1/2".

Males live for about 10 years, females may be as old as 20. They spend most of their lives in a burrow, and rarely go far from it, even to hunt. The tarantulas that you see are usually males, out looking for a mate.

Many animals will eat tarantulas, among them the coati and the larvae of the pepsis wasp. The female Pepsis wasp, also known as a tarantula hawk, lures the spider out of its burrow, paralyzes it with a sting, and buries it with one of her eggs. When the egg hatches, the larva feeds on the still living tarantula.

When irritated, the tarantula rears up and displays its large fangs. It rubs small bristles on the abdomen, which break off easily and can irritate the skin and eyes of a predator. Tarantulas can bite, but the Arizona species have never killed anyone.