Hi there! Today, we’re going to learn about spiders. Not the fake ones you see during Halloween, but real, live spiders. Some people think spiders are creepy, while others even keep them as pets. I have a pet tarantula named Goldie. She’s very calm and doesn’t mind being held if I’m gentle. Are you ready to learn more about these fascinating creatures?
We have a question from a friend named Aliyah. She asked, “What is the biggest spider in the world?” Before we answer, think about how you feel about spiders. What’s the biggest spider you’ve ever seen? Talk about it with someone nearby.
Some people are scared of spiders, a fear called arachnophobia. But most spiders are harmless to humans. In North America, people worry about spiders like the black widow or the brown recluse. These spiders are venomous, but they rarely bite people. They use their venom to catch insects, which they eat.
Spiders can be interesting and even cute! Have you ever seen a peacock spider? It does a little dance! Spiders come in many shapes and colors. For example, the greenbottle blue tarantula is a beautiful hunter from South America. And there’s a spider in Hawaii called the happy face spider because of the pattern on its body.
Spiders have some incredible behaviors. The trapdoor spider hides and surprises its prey. The fishing spider can move on water. And the crab spider sneaks up on its prey for a surprise attack.
Now, back to Aliyah’s question. The biggest spider in the world is a tricky question! Scientists have to explore to find all the different spider species. The Goliath birdeater, found in South America’s rainforests, was once known as the biggest. It’s as big as a dinner plate! Despite its name, it doesn’t usually eat birds. It only bites people if threatened, and the bite feels like a bee sting.
In 2001, scientists found a new spider in Southeast Asia called the giant huntsman. It has longer legs than the Goliath birdeater but isn’t as heavy. So, if you measure by leg length, the giant huntsman is the biggest. If you measure by size and weight, the Goliath birdeater wins. Who knows? There might be an even bigger spider out there waiting to be discovered!
Thanks to Aliyah for her great question! We have a fun activity for you. You can make your own spider and see how fast it can run. Check out the link at the end of this article.
We also have more questions to explore. You can choose from: how is cinnamon made? Do animals have belly buttons? Or, why are pumpkins orange? Let us know which one you want to learn about next. Remember, there are mysteries all around us. Stay curious and see you next time!
Spider Web Hunt: Go on a spider web hunt in your backyard or a nearby park. Look for different types of spider webs and observe their shapes and patterns. Draw the webs you find in a notebook and try to identify the type of spider that might have made each one. Discuss with a friend or family member why spiders make webs and how they use them to catch food.
Create a Spider Habitat: Use a shoebox or a small container to create a mini spider habitat. Collect small twigs, leaves, and rocks to mimic a natural environment. You can use a toy spider or make one from craft materials to place in your habitat. Think about what a spider needs to survive and how it might use its environment to hide from predators or catch prey.
Spider Size Comparison: Using string or yarn, measure out the leg span of the Goliath birdeater and the giant huntsman spider. Compare these measurements to everyday objects around your home or classroom. Discuss with your classmates or family which spider you think is the biggest and why. Consider how scientists might measure and compare different species of spiders.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript:
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(phone ringing) – Hi, it’s Doug. I want to talk about spiders, and not fake ones like this decoration either—real spiders. Now, I know some people consider spiders incredibly creepy, but other people even keep them as pets. I’m one of them. Are you ready to see this? This is my pet tarantula. Her name is Goldie. She’s not the first tarantula I’ve ever had, but she’s the first one I’ve had that’s incredibly calm. She doesn’t mind if I hold her as long as I hold her carefully. I have no idea if you find this amazing or just plain creepy, but I hope you’ll keep watching.
We have a question today from someone named Aliyah. Let’s give her a call now. (phone ringing) – Hi Doug. – Hi Aliyah. – I have a question for you. What is the biggest spider in the world? – That’s a great question. Before I say anything more, take a moment to talk to someone near you. How do you feel about spiders, and what’s the biggest spider you’ve ever seen? Now would be a good time to pause the video and discuss.
Okay, you ready? Seeing the biggest spider in the world might be a little scary. The fear of spiders is called arachnophobia, and it’s understandable. Many spiders don’t exactly look cuddly. Here’s the thing, though: most spiders almost never harm people. In North America, where I live, lots of people get kind of freaked out by spiders like the black widow or the brown recluse. Both of these spiders are venomous, but they almost never bite people. They save their venom for their prey, the tiny insects that they eat.
But other spiders—you could even say there’s something kind of cute about them. Look at this one, or my personal favorite, check out this one. It’s called the peacock spider, and it does a little dance. But whether you find them cute or not, spiders are definitely interesting. Look at all those eyes and all those legs. And just the sheer variety of spiders in the world. There are so many different kinds of spiders, different species, some of them incredible colors like this tarantula called the greenbottle blue. It’s a nighttime hunter of South America, or this one from Hawaii—look at the pattern on its underside. Would it surprise you if I told you that this spider is called the happy face spider?
And it’s not just spiders’ looks that can be fascinating. So many of them have incredible behaviors too, like this spider. Did you see that? It hides right among its prey. Watch again. This spider is called a trapdoor spider, or check out this one called a fishing spider, which actually has the ability to move on the surface of the water. Here’s another interesting behavior; it’s called a crab spider, and it surprise attacks its prey.
But to Aliyah’s question, of all these different species, which is the biggest spider in the world? This is actually a surprisingly difficult question to answer. You see, in order to know exactly what the biggest spider is, scientists have to go out and search for all the different species of spiders on Earth. For a long time, the biggest spider known was one that was as big as a dinner plate. Are you ready to see this thing? It’s called the Goliath birdeater, and it lives in the rainforests of South America. Despite its name, it doesn’t usually eat birds, but it’s big enough that it could if it wanted to. Even though it may seem scary, these spiders only bite people if they’re threatened, and even then the bite is no worse than what a bee sting would feel like to most people.
However, in 2001, the record for the biggest spider in the world was challenged. Scientists working in a cave in Southeast Asia discovered a type of spider that no one had noticed before. They called it the giant huntsman. And while it’s not heavier than the Goliath birdeater, it does have longer legs. Here’s a video of one of the huntsman’s smaller cousins. Even this one has long legs.
So in summary, figuring out what’s the biggest spider in the world really depends on what you mean by biggest. If you go by leg length, the giant huntsman wins. If you go by overall size and weight, the Goliath birdeater still holds the record. Could there be an even bigger spider somewhere out there in the world? The fact that scientists are discovering new species each year means it’s still possible.
That’s all for this week’s question. Thanks, Aliyah, for asking it. Now, we have something special for this week’s episode. My friends and I here at Mystery Science have created a step-by-step activity where you can make your own spider and see how fast it can run away from you. You can find a link to the activity at the end of this video.
Okay, for the next question, I reached into my question jar and found three questions submitted to me that I’m thinking about answering. When this video is done playing, you’ll get to vote on one. You can choose from: how is cinnamon made? Do animals have belly buttons? Or, why are pumpkins orange? So submit your vote when the video’s over. I want to hear from all of you watching. There are mysteries all around us. Stay curious and see you next week.
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