* Agatha, the zoo's Mexican red knee tarantula, is probably 25 to 30 years old. Zoo-keepers think she was donated by a woman whose son went away to college and didn't want to bring his pet ...

These special hairs, called urticating hairs, are able to serve as an effective deterrent against threats. Let’s explore why tarantulas flick their hairs and how this behavior helps them survive ...

Tarantulas are beautiful and delicate creatures that require careful handling at all times. While some tarantula species will tolerate being handled, it’s really important to understand their behavior ...

The Mexican redknee tarantula is easy to breed and is not in danger of complete extinction. The female spins silk around fertilized eggs and carries them in her fangs until they hatch.

Both male and female tarantulas molt several times until they reach their full size. Mature Mexican Red Knee tarantulas typically get to be four to five inches in body size, with a leg span of six ...

Many tarantulas in the Western Hemisphere also have up to 1 million deadly sharp hairs on their abdomen that they use for defense. These barbed, or urticating hairs t "can embed in the skin, eyes ...

A Mexican redknee tarantula is one of the tarantulas owned by Liz Lopez. ... And she’ll always be wearing gloves due to the urticating hairs on her New World tarantulas.

The researchers realized they had a new genus and species of spider as soon as they examined it. The spider's "attack" hairs, or urticating hairs, look different from all other known tarantula ...

The hairs connect with the would-be assailant’s eyes and skin, sending it scurrying. Female Goliaths use those same urticating hairs to cover their large egg sacs, which hold between 50 and 150 ...