Predators & Prey

Goliath Bird Eating Spider

although the spider is big and powerful it does have many predators. Snakes, other spiders, and the Tarantula Hawk are some exaples of these predators,, but it's most dangerous predator is the Spider Wasp, also know as Pepsis. They are usually most vulnerable during their molting stages, they become fragile and cannot move very well. It takes several days for it's new exoskeleton to harden, and during that time it is easy for small insects to be able to kill it.

The size and power of this spider allow it to be able to eat large prey. Some prey animals of the Goliath spider are frogs, small snakes, beetles, insects, lizards, and sometimes even bats and pinky rats. It will occasionally take young birds from their nests, which give it the name bird eating spider.

Despite all these predators the spider has ways to fend them off. One of their main ways to fend off predators is that they have the ability to make hissing noises. They do this by rubbing bristles on it's front legs together, this process is called stridulation. Another way they fend off predators is they rear up their hind legs and get into a threatening position. Their most painful way they fend off predators is by ripping hairs from it's abdomen and throwing them their enemies. These hairs are barbed and can cause severe irritation to it's ememies.