Trivia question for Jan-21-2011

After Olivia’s trivia yesterday which seemed to stump everyone, Carter took quite some time looking through his books to see if he could come up with something equally as challenging and informative.  Let’s see how he did:

This cool looking spider belongs to the tarantula group.  They are commonly found in marshy or swampy areas, usually living in burrows that they have dug or which have been abandoned by other burrowing creatures.

Females lifespans can reach 15-25 years but they always eat their mates so males usually only live 3-6 years.

Can you tell us the proper name for this huge spider and also tell what affect their venom has on humans?

Good Luck 

Answer:

Wow, two days in a row.  These guys are on a roll.  Lots of great guesses but the spider we featured is known as The Goliath Bird-Eater Spider or Bird-Eating Tarantula.  As for it’s venom, the Goliath Birdeater is fairly harmless to humans, as are most species of tarantulas.

Like all tarantulas, they have fangs large enough to break the skin of a human (.75 to 1.5 inches). They carry venom in their fangs and have been known to bite when threatened, but the venom is relatively harmless and its effects are comparable to those of a wasp’s sting.

Here is more on these huge spiders: Goliath Bird-Eater Spider

Thanks for playing along