![]() A handful of meals a year are just about all that they need. These spiders have spectacularly efficient metabolisms. When one does, the tarantula pounces, subdues its prey with its venom, then dines. One hides in its burrow during the day, but comes out in full darkness and waits near the burrow’s entrance for prey - an insect or some other invertebrate - to walk within reach. They dig burrows that can be surprisingly deep. Tarantulas are more or less exclusively nocturnal. And it certainly knows when I’m approaching. It can sense an insect walking feet away from it. However, see all of those hairs on its legs and body? Those hairs are sensory organs that make this spider acutely aware of even the slightest vibration. They have no hearing, at least not as we understand hearing. Tarantulas likely have very poor vision that enables them to tell light from dark and not much more. This second image is a portrait of my friend, showing its “face.” Those glittering dots atop its “head” (cephalothorax) are some of its eight tiny eyes. I’ll explain how I found and photographed this tarantula at the end of this post. Photographing one of these creatures requires a bit of guile because tarantulas are definitely shy in humans’ presence. Including its eight legs, it covers the palm of my hand. ![]() The individual depicted here is a pretty big tarantula. Besides, these animals are harmless, and fascinating once you get to know them. There is a definite local pride to being home to among the hemisphere’s largest spiders. ![]() I know that many find tarantulas (and spiders in general) to be altogether creepy, but I like them, and so do many of my Tucson acquaintances. So, in keeping with that, here are a couple of images of this year’s resident. I’ve made it an annual tradition to post a few images of the tarantulas living in our Tucson backyard. You may enlarge any image in this blog by clicking on it. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |