The giant of the spider kingdom is the goliath bird-eating spider (
Theraphosa blondi), weighing 4 ounces and measuring up to 11 inches across, including legs. It is named after its propensity for taking young birds from their nests. The spider's fangs contain venom that can sub-due its prey (birds, frogs, bats, rodents, lizards, and beetles), but its bite is no more harmful to humans than a bee sting. When threatened, the goliath bird-eating spider makes a loud noise by rubbing the bristlelike hair on its legs together, producing a hissing sound that can be heard up to 15 feet away. This rubbing also flings the sharp strands of hair into the air. Often called a tarantula (and closely related), the big, hairy, bird-eating spider is found in warm, tropical climates, most notably in the coastal rain forests of northeastern South America.
