Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 day ago
Known as the ‘king of spiders’, the Goliath birdeater is the largest arachnid on the planet – weighing up to 170 grams (roughly the weight of your smartphone) and with a leg span of more than 30cms!
Funnily enough this tarantula doesn’t usually eat birds, but they are big enough to do so! In South American rainforests like the Amazon, this nocturnal ambush-predator would usually consume insects, as well as frogs, rodents and occasionally lizards. Goliath birdeaters use venom to subdue and digest their prey but this is not a serious risk to humans.
Known as the ‘king of spiders’, the Goliath birdeater is the largest arachnid on the planet – weighing up to 170 grams (roughly the weight of your smartphone) and with a leg span of more than 30cms!
Funnily enough this tarantula doesn’t usually eat birds, but they are big enough to do so! In South American rainforests like the Amazon, this nocturnal ambush-predator would usually consume insects, as well as frogs, rodents and occasionally lizards. Goliath birdeaters use venom to subdue and digest their prey but this is not a serious risk to humans.
