Searching for the world's biggest spider
James Brickell enters a forest under cover of darkness to look for the Amazon's eight legged wonders.
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James Brickell meets some beautiful spiders while hunting for a giant.
Despite its name, the goliath birdeating spider does not normally eat birds. As with other species of tarantula, their diet consists primarily of small insects such as crickets, beetles and beetle larvae.
Coatimundis (related to raccoons) hunt and eat these spiders, getting rid of the tarantula's itchy hairs by rolling the spider in dust. Local people also sometimes hunt bird eaters, grilling them over a fire to burn off the hairs before eating them.
Invertebrate expert George McGavin came across some strange looking spiders in the tropical rainforest of New Guinea. See what he found in George's marvellous jumping spider.
Published 25 November 2009
James Brickell
