Unexpected Diversity

 Tarantulas are not all big, black, hairy spiders. They are incredibly diverse in their coloration, and can be anything from a plainly marked ground-swelling desert species to a vibrant tarantula that makes its home in the rainforest canopy all over the world.

And while all tarantulas share some traits and anatomical features, another surprise is the differences between them.











And did you know that female tarantulas can live to be more than 20 years old? Or that it takes some species years to become full grown, while others are full grown within a year?

 Tarantulas even change color from spiderlings to adult.

One certain thing is that there are many more fascinating facts to learn about these elusive creatures.

Tarantulas Shoot silk From Their Feet

An amazing article detailing what researchers have recently discovered - that tarantulas have the ability to shoot silk from their feet when there is the threat of a fall. This is important to the survival of a tarantula, which despite their robust appearance are actually very fragile. A drop from even a short distance can mean serious injury or death.

Tarantulas shoot silk from their feet