Wikijunior:Bugs/Tarantula

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[edit] What does it look like?

Tarantulas are hairy all over and are black and brown. They have eight legs. They eat bugs. They have many eyes. They mostly have 8 eyes. They have two spinnerets on the abdomen. Some tarantulas are as big as a dinner plate.

[edit] Where does it live?

Some tarantulas live on the ground. Some live in holes or burrows. Some tarantulas live in the waters(ponds or lakes). Some live in grass. Some live in trees. Tarantulas are found in North and South America, and Africa, Asia and Australia too.

[edit] What does it eat?

They eat insects. They use their pincers to cut things up. Then they spit acid on them. The acid dissolves the insect. Next it sucks it up through a tube.

[edit] How does it defend itself?

When a tarantula feels it is put in a threatening situation, it will stand on its 4 hind legs and hold his 4 front legs upwards, as if its showing its poisonous teeth.

When it does this it is in a defending position, ready to attack whatever approaches. It may bite if approached too closely at this point. Most tarantulas are not poisonous. The tarantula also can use its hind legs and scratch its abdomen to you. These little pieces of hair that come off of the tarantula can land on your body. These pieces of hair make you itchy. This itchiness can last for a couple of weeks. These may be tarantulas that are not poisonous. The spider will also stay still, acting to be dead, hoping its hunter goes away.

[edit] Do tarantulas molt?

Tarantulas do molt.You may sometimes find there skin in forests or other places they live.

[edit] What stages of metamorphosis does it go through?

[edit] What special behavior does it exhibit?

[edit] How does this bug affect people?

This spider can bite you. It feels like a bee sting. Some people may be allergic to it just like bee stings. A human has never died from a tarantula's venomous bite.

[edit] References

-Dennis Milius~ Spider Defense