Goliath: Puppy-sized Spider Startles Field Scientist

Piotr Naskrecki, an experienced field scientist is currently conducting research in the Amazon when one of the world’s largest spider attacks him.

Goliath Spider is believed to be the most massive and frightening species of spider native to South American’s rainforests. It is also known as a goliath bird eating spider or Theraphosa blondi. The spider’s female speices have the life span of 3 decades, which grow to almost a foot in-length and usually devour males after mating. On the other hand, the Giant huntsman spider is the only spider larger than the goliath that holds the record by having the largest leg span. Though, the goliath may be even larger when it comes to the sheer weight and mass; the spiders are often mistaken for large rats or other small rodents or mammals, especially because their body is covered with thick, coarse hairs.

Piotr Naskrecki, who was walking in the Guyana’s rainforest in the midnight and suddenly he heard a rustling sound like something was creeping under his feet. Eventually, when he turned around with his flashlight on, he saw a puppy-sized animal rustling around. The excitement of Piotr Naskrecki uttered, when the creature turned out to be a goliath spider.

Naskrecki told that, the goliath spider hunts at night, and feeds on small animals, insects, frogs and earthworms. These spiders are also hard to find. “I’ve been working in the tropics in South America for almost the past 15 years, but I only saw the spider three times,” he added.