Large tarantula. Tarantula spider

Among the representatives of the wolf spider family there are really interesting specimens, for example, tarantulas - large poisonous araneomorphic spiders, which became famous during the Middle Ages. The genus of tarantulas includes 220 species, of which the most famous are the South Russian tarantula, which lives in Russia and Ukraine, and the Apulian tarantula, originally from the Italian city of Taranto, which gave common name to all representatives of the genus.

South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir.

Tarantula Apulian (female).

South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir.

Tarantula Lycosa aragogi, endemic to Iran.

Contrary to popular belief, a tarantula bite is not dangerous to humans, causes only slight swelling and resembles a wasp sting. But in the middle of the 15th century they did not think so and attributed terrible misfortunes to large spiders living in the vicinity of Taranto. It was believed that a person bitten by a tarantula would inevitably go crazy and end his life in terrible torment, so people invented the same ridiculous antidote for spider bites. According to the authoritative opinion of healers of those times, only crazy dancing to the point of exhaustion can save a person from death, and interestingly, this is how the world came to know the tarantella - one of the most famous Italian folk dances.

What does a tarantula look like?

In the photo, the tarantula strongly resembles a tarantula spider, but the latter is a mygalomorphic spider and is particularly large in size.

Tarantulas - pretty big spiders, growing up to 10 cm in length with a body weight of about 90 g. The size of the legendary Apulian tarantulas usually does not exceed 7 cm, southern Russian relatives are much smaller and grow up to 2.5 - 3.5 cm. Females of any species are larger than males.

The fluffy body of the tarantula is formed by two sections: the cephalothorax and abdomen, connected by a thin hollow bridge - a stalk. The upper part of the body is covered with a dense chitinous shell, the stomach remains defenseless. There are 4 pairs of eyes on the head, allowing one to see the blurry outlines of prey at a distance of 20 - 30 cm.

The long legs of predators are densely studded with sensitive hairs, which play an important tactile role in searching for prey and protect the spider from natural enemies. When in contact with human skin, the hairs can cause an allergic reaction.

South Russian tarantula or Mizgir: close-up view of the muzzle.

South Russian Tarantula or Mizgir: macro photography.

South Russian tarantula or Mizgir: macro photography.

The protective coloration allows tarantulas to successfully camouflage themselves against the background of the surrounding landscape. Apulian tarantulas are colored dark colors with a light edging, the abdomen of females is red, decorated with one longitudinal and several transverse black and white stripes. Recognize South Russian tarantula In the photo you can see the black belly and brown-red top.

Habitat and lifestyle

Tarantulas are typical inhabitants of deserts, semi-deserts and arid steppe regions of Eurasia, Central and South America, North Africa, Australia.

These nocturnal predators during the day prefer to hide in burrows up to 60 cm deep, camouflaged by fallen leaves. Tarantulas do not build trapping nets, but use cobwebs to frame the walls of the burrow, and females weave a cocoon from threads to bear offspring.

Tarantula hole, steppe of Kherson region.

With the onset of darkness, tarantulas go out hunting, lying in wait for prey right in their hiding place or wandering around the surrounding area. The tarantula's hunting method is characteristic of most wolf spiders: the predator pounces on prey, paralyzing or killing it with its poison, and then sucks out the contents.

Tarantula hunting without leaving its hole. Uzbekistan - 04/05/2008.

The basis of the diet of tarantulas consists mainly of insects and their larvae: flies, cockroaches, crickets, beetles, as well as smaller representatives of their own order. Enlarged photos of tarantulas eating their prey are quite impressive.

Meadow moth in the arms of the South Russian tarantula.

Reproduction

The mating season of these spiders occurs at the end of summer - beginning of autumn. The male, having noticed the female, begins a kind of dance, invitingly shaking and tapping his especially developed forelimbs. The female responds something similar and folds her front legs, which becomes a signal for the male to mate. At the end of the process, the male hurries to retreat, and the fertilized female hibernates in a tightly sealed burrow.

Grammostola pulchra, known as the Brazilian black tarantula, is prized for its long life in the terrarium, as well as for its reputation as an obedient spider. Its bites do not cause itchy black blisters. The spider has a deep black color. The most important thing is that tarantulas can be kept in a terrarium, just like, say,. It is important to consider that the tarantula must live alone, as it will eat any creature that ends up in the same small space with it.

Caring for a black tarantula at home

The tips given are general in nature. Every spider's needs must be met, this supports healthy image life. The owner must control the temperature and humidity in the tank in which the tarantula lives. IN wildlife they adapt to rapidly changing weather conditions in a matter of hours.

Spreading in the wild: Brazil and Uruguay (grasslands).
Type: terrestrial arthropods.
Size Brazilian black tarantula: 6-8 cm (adult).
Growth rate: can reach 4 cm in the first year, after which growth slows down.
Temperament: obedient and calm.
Diet: These exotic spiders eat small insects . 1-2 individuals per day are enough.

Adult black tarantulas feed on crickets and other large insects (eg. various types cockroaches - like). The number of victims per month varies from 3 to 8 depending on their size. Usually the victim does not exceed the body size of the spider itself. It is recommended to feed tarantulas with specially prepared insects, after sprinkling them with vitamins - this will ensure the pet’s well-being and good health. There is no need to catch crickets or other insects yourself and use them as food; they may contain pesticides that are dangerous to the spider. To feed the tarantula Grammostola pulchra, you should take the cricket with tweezers and place it in the terrarium. If the spider is nearby, then you need to push it away a little. After closing the lid, your instincts will do their job.

A temperature of 18-30° Celsius will provide the spider with a comfortable existence. It should be borne in mind that in nature the temperature fluctuates greatly, and tarantulas adapt well to changing conditions. Room temperature between 24 and 30 degrees will be pleasant enough for them.

Humidity/water requirements. While the Grammostola pulchra spider is small, a moist substrate should be placed in the terrarium. When he grows up, he will be able to use other containers. Spiders obtain water from their victims, but must have access to clean water. A saucer of water and a slightly wet substrate will provide the moisture necessary for the spider's health.

Terrarium lighting. There are no special lighting requirements, but there is no need to create shadows. Spiders, on the other hand, like to bask in the sun. Best to use fluorescent lamp With a power of 15 W, the tarantula will really like it.

Terrarium for black tarantula and other spiders

As a rule, for ground spiders, the length and width of the terrarium should be 2-3 times the width of the legs; The diameter of a round terrarium is approximately 3 leg spans. Make sure there is enough space between the top of the terrarium and the surface of the substrate.

Juveniles. In general, a young spider can live in transparent plastic container with air holes. You need to make a backing in the container, its size is 3-4 cm. It can be made from peat, coconut fiber or a mixture of both. The base should be sufficiently moist. This is easy to check: you need to squeeze the substrate, if a lump forms well, but no water flows, the humidity is sufficient.

While the spider is small, you need to spray water on the wall of the terrarium once a week. When it grows, you can put a saucer; a plastic cap from a regular bottle is perfect. A small stone should be placed in it to prevent the crickets from drowning. As the tarantula grows, you need to make sure that it has enough water and that the diameter of the saucer is slightly smaller than the span of its paws. Spiders must hide to maintain fluid in the body and feel safe.

Adults. For an adult spider, there is no humidity of great importance, even semi-arid conditions will be acceptable. It will require a large terrarium with a durable and safe lid.

It should be remembered that spiders strong jaws, they can dig through compacted soil and chew materials: plastic, nylon, aluminum. The area of the terrarium for an adult tarantula is much more important than the height.

Usually black tarantulas do not go far from their home, but there is evidence that they can move long distances.

Peat, humus, coconut fiber or a mixture of these can be used as a substrate. The substrate must be moistened (the correct degree of moistening was discussed above). If the spider digs holes, then the thickness of the substrate should provide this opportunity.

Adults of Grammostola pulchra do not need as much moisture as young ones, so you can allow the top layer of the substrate to dry out, but you need to make sure that the bottom is sufficiently moist. You can put a piece of oak bark or part of it in the terrarium coconut, clay pot or similar thing to serve the tarantula refuge. No additional decorations are needed, unless for yourself. Before placing a spider in a terrarium, you need to make sure that all objects placed there are safe for it, and it cannot be injured when climbing into its shelter.

Tarantulas needed keep apart from each other to prevent cannibalism.

Tarantula (Lycosa) – variety poisonous spiders belonging to the family of wolf spiders (Lycosidae). This family is scattered throughout almost all countries of the world and has about 1,200 species. Some species of wolf spiders even live in the Arctic.

Habitat of tarantulas

Tarantulas can be found in desert areas Central Asia and Kazakhstan, smaller representatives - and in southern zone Europe. Eastern border their habitat extends across China and Mongolia, then Greece, Egypt, Asia Minor, North Africa. They are also found in the upper reaches of the Dnieper, Pripyat, Yenisei, the Volga delta, as well as in Austria, Hungary, and Romania.

A completely different spider, the tarantula, is often mistakenly called a tarantula. These are completely different creatures belonging to different genera, and in structure and habits they are completely different. – a real giant spider with a leg span of up to 30 cm and a weight of up to 120 grams. Tarantulas rarely exceed the 7 cm mark. Tarantulas are also considered large spiders, but they are still far from tarantulas. The length of tarantulas can reach 6-7 cm; there are also smaller species.

Lifestyle of tarantulas

They do not weave trapping nets, but prefer to hunt on the ground. Here they choose a convenient ambush and hunt down their prey. Having waited for the right moment, tarantulas overtake the victim in several jumps (hence the name of the family - wolf spiders).

Many tarantulas prefer to lead a nomadic lifestyle, while some, living in the steppes and deserts, prefer a sedentary lifestyle. They find burrows that are convenient for them and settle in them. Tarantula spiders lead night look life, and during the day almost does not appear on the surface.

Dzungarian tarantula

The South Russian or Dzungarian tarantula is common in the Caucasus, Central Asia, and southern Ukraine. Here it can be found in the steppes, in floodplain meadows near rivers.

When viewed from the front, the Dzungarian tarantula is quite cute and resembles a fairy-tale gnome. In a calm state, its front legs are lowered and a large streamlined head part of the body is visible, below is a transverse strip of short hairs, reminiscent of a short whisker brush; underneath it is thick, more long hair, similar to a beard, and above there are 2 large eyes and below them 4 smaller eyes. Just a cartoon character! But if suddenly someone had the imprudence to disturb it, the picture changes dramatically: the spider raises its front legs high above its head, taking a threatening pose. Now he no longer looks like the sweetest creature. He's ready to attack!

The tarantula's vision is excellent. The spider has 8 eyes located at the cephalothorax end. 4 of them are shiny and clearly visible, and 4 are duller. The spider's 8 large legs, widely spaced in all directions, are covered with long black hairs. The poisonous apparatus of the tarantula is located on the sides of the anterior section of the cephalothorax and consists of two glands, the ducts of which end at the sharp ends of the strong jaws.

Tarantula poison

The degree of poisonousness of tarantulas has been greatly exaggerated. As scientists suggest, in cases of severe poisoning and even death, it is not the tarantula that is to blame, but the “black widow,” which lives in many southern regions of the Earth along with tarantulas. The toxicity of tarantula venom is clearly exaggerated, says a geologist who was on an expedition in the area Aral Sea. Stepping on the spider with his bare foot, he was immediately bitten. A geologist who at one time read a lot of horror stories about poisonous tarantulas, began to wait for death. The pain slowly spread up his leg, and then he suddenly felt better. The leg didn’t hurt much anymore, and after a few days there was no trace of pain left. There was only some stiffness left in the limb, but that soon went away. The victim could not understand anything. Upon arrival from the expedition, having studied scientific literature, a geologist found out that the tarantula is actually a poisonous creature, but not for people. The venom of this spider is highly toxic to invertebrate animals. The tarantula most often feeds on them. The toxin is protein in nature and, due to histamine and hyaluronidase, which increase tissue permeability, easily penetrates into the body of animals. Spider venom affects smooth muscles, causing them to contract convulsively.

How to Avoid a Tarantula Bite

Spiders attack only in defense. This means that to avoid a tarantula bite, you simply need to not touch it. A spider can bite if it is stepped on or accidentally disturbed. Seeing a hand extended to it, the tarantula, as a rule, hurries to hide.

What to do if you are bitten by a tarantula?

The bite site is washed with soap and water. To dull the pain, cold is applied to the affected area. After a tarantula bite, the victim needs rest. You need to drink as much hot liquid as possible. For convulsions, thermal procedures are used.

X otya allergic reaction a tarantula bite is not so common; if possible, it is still recommended to take the victim to the hospital as quickly as possible.

The South Russian tarantula is a representative of araneomorphic spiders, which belongs to the species of wolf spiders. He is quite large, but not aggressive. Some exotic lovers are happy to keep such arachnids in their homes as pets.

The South Russian tarantula is an inhabitant of the steppes, whose range is lately expanded noticeably

Description

The South Russian tarantula is the most large spider, living in Russia. Its body dimensions range from 2.5 to 3 cm, with females always larger than males. The body is densely covered with hairs. The color is usually gray with dotted patches of black; red and brown are also found.

This arachnid has eight eyes, which are arranged in three rows. In the bottom row there are two pairs of small eyes, middle row occupied by the largest pair, which is central and looks forward, in the top row there are two lateral small eyes, located slightly above the middle pair.

Note! It is believed that he is able to distinguish objects that are at a distance of 30 cm!

Spreading

For the South Russian tarantula, the most preferable climate is dry. For this reason, it can most often be found in steppe, desert and semi-desert areas, less often in forest-steppe zone. It appears and digs its burrows in fields, on the banks of various bodies of water, as well as in gardens and vegetable gardens. In a word, soft soils are attractive to him, in which he can easily arrange his nest.

Previously, the South Russian tarantula was distributed mainly in Central Asia, as well as in the southern regions of Russia and Ukraine. But due to climate change, these spiders began to make their way further and further north, and where previously they were rare, they are now found in quite a lot. large quantities.

On the territory of Ukraine, the South Russian tarantula is called the Crimean tarantula, and at the same time it is the largest arachnid that is found in these places. Its burrows with the owner inside are increasingly being found by local residents in their garden plots.
Recently, these tarantulas have taken root in Belarus. They were first discovered there in 2008. These arachnids began to spread quite actively in the floodplains of the Sozh, Dnieper and Pripyat rivers.
Southern Russian tarantulas lived in Bashkiria for quite a long time, but in 2016 a real invasion was noted. The reason for this was an abnormal warm weather, which lasted throughout the summer that year.

Note! In Bashkiria in 2016, several people ended up in the hospital due to the bites of a South Russian tarantula!
Several species of tarantulas are common in Kazakhstan, and the South Russian one is one of them. The habitats are common: the banks of rivers, lakes and salt marshes, and the most active zones are Aktau, Alma-Ata, Aktobe, Shymkent. Particularly large tarantulas are found in Kazakhstan – sometimes their body length reaches 9 cm.
As for the territory of Russia, large numbers of South Russian tarantulas were seen in Astrakhan, Belgorod, Volgograd, Kursk and Saratov regions, as well as in the Tambov, Lipetsk and Oryol regions.

Features of existence

The steppe tarantula settles in burrows, which it digs itself, and always lines the walls with its own web. The depth of the hole is usually 30-40 m. For hunting, he does not weave trapping nets, but catches prey at the moment when it runs past his nest.

The signal for an attack in this case is the shadow of a potential victim. Having recognized the outline, the spider jumps out of its ambush with lightning speed, grabs the prey with its front paws, immediately plunges its chelicerae into its body and injects poison. When the victim freezes, the tarantula begins to eat.

The diet of the South Russian tarantula includes:

caterpillars;
crickets;
ground beetles;
mole crickets;
cockroaches;
beetles.

Note! South Russian tarantulas often have cases of cannibalism, when they eat other spiders that belong to smaller species!

Despite the fact that these arachnids are very attached to their burrow, individual specimens can move quite considerable distances from it. There have been cases when South Russian tarantulas climbed into residential buildings located in small settlements.

Reproduction

The mating season is last month summer, and at this time males go in search of females. Having met a female, the male must show her his intentions, otherwise he risks being eaten.

The “suitor” raises the front part of his body, puts out the first pair of legs and vibrates his abdomen. In this position, he slowly approaches the female. Ready for mating, she begins to repeat the movements of the male. Immediately after fertilization, the male quickly leaves and prepares for winter: he makes his burrow deeper and clogs the entrance with soil.

The fertilized female also goes into her burrow for the winter. With the arrival of spring, it appears on the surface and exposes its abdomen to the sun's rays.

Note! Warmth promotes the rapid development of eggs in the abdomen. By the way, it is this ritual that often leads to dehydration of the female’s body and she can lose about 30% of her weight!

When the maturation of the eggs in the abdomen ends, the female weaves a silk cocoon from the web. She lays her eggs in it and carries it on her abdomen for some time. At the same time, the cocoon with future offspring is always in her field of vision and the female actively protects it in any situation. If she senses danger, she will immediately fiercely grab onto the cocoon with her chelicerae and will no longer be able to take it away.

As soon as the female feels that the spiderlings are starting to emerge from the eggs, she breaks the cocoon and helps the babies get out. Young individuals climb onto the mother's body, and for some time she carries them on herself.

Gradually, the stronger offspring leaves the mother’s body, settling throughout the area.

IN natural environment habitat, the South Russian tarantula lives for about two years, in captivity somewhat longer, which is due to the absence of winter suspended animation, which to a certain extent slows down its development.

Consequences of a bite

The South Russian tarantula does not pose any particular danger to humans. Of course, he can bite, but he will never be the first to attack. Representatives of this species are not aggressive and attack only in self-defense. Therefore, it is highly not recommended to disturb the tarantula or pick it up unless absolutely necessary.

When bitten, a person may feel a burning sensation and pain. Usually swelling forms in this place, sometimes the skin becomes yellow and recovers only after a couple of months. Due to the low concentration, the venom of this arachnid does not cause death in humans.

However, if you are allergic to spider or insect bites, an allergic reaction may develop, the manifestations of which will be:

severe pain;
rash around the affected area;
general malaise;
dizziness;
drowsiness.

Important! If a South Russian tarantula has bitten a child, then contact medical care should be done immediately!

Home content

If you decide to keep a South Russian tarantula at home, then remember that it is quite fast and does not tolerate mistakes in handling. When trying to defend itself, it can jump to a height of about 15 cm and will certainly bite.

As for the South Russian tarantula, it is unpretentious. He needs:

a vertical terrarium from which the spider cannot escape on its own;
a fairly thick layer of substrate - at least 30 cm, so that your pet can dig its holes in it;
a drinking bowl that will contain clean and fresh water every day, and the spider should have free access to it;
food – for the South Russian tarantula I usually buy food insects, the body size of which should correspond to the body size of the spider itself.

Important! Feeding the South Russian tarantula with insects from the street is highly not recommended!

Tarantula is a general name for spiders that are large in size and covered with hair. More than 900 species belong to this family. The tarantula spider is a species of large poisonous araneomorphic insects; they belong to the large family of wolf spiders. All representatives of this family are poisonous to a greater or lesser extent. Before moving on to the description of these amazing creatures, I would like to note that the simplicity of their maintenance has led to the popularity of tarantulas as exotic pets.

Tarantula: description

The spider consists of two parts - the abdomen and the cephalothorax. There are four pairs of eyes on the head. The legs of this large insect shaggy and long. The hairs growing on them are quite sharp; upon contact with human skin, they can injure, resulting in a burning sensation and severe itching. The tarantula spider uses these hairs to protect itself from its natural enemies. The furry predator kills the victim that falls into its paws with fangs, the length of which is 1 cm.

Fluffy insects are very beautiful. The color can be brown or black, but brown-rusty individuals of this species are also found. The spider weighs about 90 g, with females noticeably larger size than males.

Lifestyle

The tarantula spider lives in deep burrows, which it makes in hard soil. Such a spider's dwelling reaches up to 25 cm vertically in depth. At the entrance, the predator builds a vertical wall, using plant remains and soil as building materials. The spider lines its burrow with cobwebs. When the rainy season or molting time begins, the entrance from above is closed with threads of cobwebs and earth. With the onset of winter, the insect covers its home with dry plants mixed with cobwebs.

The tarantula hunts mainly at night, guarding prey at the entrance to the hole. During the day, he sits out in his lair and waits for a random victim there. Based on this, it can be understood that a person can suffer and receive a tarantula bite only in those cases when he himself invades his territory and destroys the home of a predatory insect.

Tarantulas do not go far from their home; if they have to move away a little, they always go, tied to the hole with their web. This is how spiders find their way home. True, there are exceptions in mating season. At this time, the males, forgetting about caution and rules, go in search of a female, spending a long time on the way.

Reproduction

When, after a long search, the male tarantula finally finds a female, he begins to court her. The “lady” reciprocates, but you need to behave extremely carefully with her. After the flirting ritual, the spiders mate; it is at this moment, after the end of the mating act, that the female can bite her unlucky “gentleman,” who will instantly turn from a groom into dinner. Therefore, males must have quick reactions and quick reverse movements in order to escape in time. This is what it is - a spider wedding!

The spider lays her eggs in her hole, where she wraps them in a web, resulting in a cocoon. The expectant mother carries it with her everywhere until the little tarantulas appear. But even after birth, the spiders ride on their mother’s back for some time. Only after growing up and learning to crawl and live independently, children leave their parents’ home and begin to create their own home and independent life.

Why is a tarantula dangerous?

As mentioned earlier, the bite of a tarantula, no matter what species it belongs to, is still poisonous. How dangerous a tarantula is depends on the age of the predator, race, gender, season and some other factors.

Let's consider the toxicity of these insects, based on the time of year:

April- just waking up after winter, tarantulas are very inert, their poison is not too toxic.
May- in the middle of this month there comes a period when females lay eggs. Spiders become very active, and the toxicity of the poison increases by 2 times.
June- at the beginning of the month, mating and migration occur; the venom of predators at this time is 3 times more toxic.
August- spiders, especially young females, have less toxic venom.
September- before wintering, the toxicity of the venom of hairy insects is reduced by 2 times.

Why is the tarantula spider dangerous for living beings? This creature is not in vain considered a predator; its bite has a neurogenic effect on nervous system. The venom of this spider can lead to neuromuscular disorders, respiratory and cardiovascular systems. So you need to be extremely careful with this cute and fluffy creature of nature.

Black tarantula as a pet

When talking about representatives of the wolf spider family, it is impossible not to mention such a beauty as the black Brazilian tarantula. This beautiful insect considered the most best view spiders for home keeping.

It, of course, also belongs to predators, but at the same time it has a calm and obedient character. Those who are already closely acquainted with the black shaggy fluffy can confidently recommend it as the most obedient spider. Live it out amazing creature in the right conditions can be up to 20 years. So for a long time the beautiful pet will be next to its owner.