Overview
Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and life cycle of this large and hairy member of the spider family.Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and life cycle of this large and hairy member of the spider family.
Synopsis
Describes the physical characteristics, behavior, and life cycle of this large and hairy member of the spider family.
Barbara Kennedy - Children's Literature
What has eight legs, eight eyes, a fat fuzzy brown body, and in its largest species can be as large as a dinner plate? Thank goodness it is the shy, docile, slow moving spider, the tarantula. Like all spiders, the tarantula produces venom that squirts out of its fangs to kill prey. Fortunately, in the rare instance where a surprised tarantula bites a human, it is no more painful or dangerous than a bee sting. They do spin silk from their abdomen, but instead of making a web, they use the soft silk for lining the nests they make in burrows or trees. Snakes, birds, and lizards consider tarantulas a good meal, but the tarantula hawk wasp is the worst of enemies. After injecting a paralyzing sting, this wasp drags the helpless tarantula to a hole where she lays eggs, which in several days turn into tarantula-eating larva! Read on to find out if this arachnid would be a good pet. With color photographs, a glossary, index, and Web sites, the information given here would fit in nicely as part of an elementary school science curriculum. Part of the "Naturebooks" series. 2003, The Child's World,
Editorials
Children's Literature
What has eight legs, eight eyes, a fat fuzzy brown body, and in its largest species can be as large as a dinner plate? Thank goodness it is the shy, docile, slow moving spider, the tarantula. Like all spiders, the tarantula produces venom that squirts out of its fangs to kill prey. Fortunately, in the rare instance where a surprised tarantula bites a human, it is no more painful or dangerous than a bee sting. They do spin silk from their abdomen, but instead of making a web, they use the soft silk for lining the nests they make in burrows or trees. Snakes, birds, and lizards consider tarantulas a good meal, but the tarantula hawk wasp is the worst of enemies. After injecting a paralyzing sting, this wasp drags the helpless tarantula to a hole where she lays eggs, which in several days turn into tarantula-eating larva! Read on to find out if this arachnid would be a good pet. With color photographs, a glossary, index, and Web sites, the information given here would fit in nicely as part of an elementary school science curriculum. Part of the "Naturebooks" series. 2003, The Child's World,— Barbara Kennedy