Michael D. Kern / Green bottle blue Tarantula, (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens) captive from Venezuela

Michael D. Kern / Venezuelan Sun Tiger Tarantula / Devil tree spider (Psalmopoeus irminia), captive from Venezuela

Michael D. Kern / Ivory Ornamental Tarantulas (Poecilotheria subfusca) from Sri Lanka

Michael D. Kern / Columbian Giant Redleg Tarantula, (Megaphobema robustum) ventral view, captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Costa Rican Redleg Tarantula (Megaphobema mesomelas), captive from South America

John Abbott / Chilean rose / flame / fire / red-haired tarantula (Grammostola rosea) female, from South America

John Abbott / Chilean rose / flame / fire / red-haired tarantula (Grammostola rosea) pair mating, female on left, male on right, from South America

B&S Draker / Texas Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) adult at sunset in defense posture. Sinton, Corpus Christi, Coastal Bend, Texas, USA, May.

Michael D. Kern / Mexican red leg tarantula {Brachypelma emilia} captive, Mexico

Rod Williams / Mexican red-knee tarantula {Brachypelma smithii}. Captive.

Kim Taylor / Brazilian / Giant salmon pink birdeater tarantula {Lasiodora parahybana}. Captive.

Pete Oxford / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) on buttress root of fig tree. Yasuni NP, Ecuador, Central America

Pete Oxford / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) on buttress root of fig tree (Ficus sp.). Yasuni NP, Ecuador, Central America

Pete Oxford / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) on buttress root of fig tree (Ficus sp.). Yasuni NP, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Tarantula on buttress root of Ficus (fig) species tree, Yasuni NP, Ecuador

Jabruson / African baboon spider {Theraphosidae / Tarantula family) Odzala NP, Democratic Republic of Congo.

Rolf Nussbaumer / Brown tarantula in defensive pose {Aphonopelma hentzi} Texas, USA.

Pete Oxford / Monkey-slug caterpillar {Phobetron sp} mimics tarantula spider. Rainforest, Madre de Dios, Peru

Mark Moffett / Green and Black Poison Dart Frog (Dendrobates auratus) meets a Tarantula, Taboga Island, Panama Tarantulas eat frogs but avoid Poison Dart Frogs, yet on Taboga, such encounters are common and Tarantul...

Gerry Ellis / Mexican Red-knee Tarantula (Brachypelma smithi), Mexico

Mark Moffett / Peruvian Pinktoe Tarantula (Avicularia urticans) walking on water after being flooded from its nest, Amazonian ecosystem, Peru

Mark Moffett / Peruvian Pinktoe Tarantula (Avicularia urticans) eating tree frog, Amazon, Peru

Mark Moffett / Ecuadorian Brown Velvet Tarantula (Megaphobema velvetosoma) shedding its skin (cuticle), Ecuador

Mark Moffett / Ecuadorian Brown Velvet Tarantula (Megaphobema velvetosoma) shedding its skin (cuticle), Ecuador

Piotr Naskrecki / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) in rainforest, Suriname

Mark Carwardine / Mexican red-knee tarantula {Brachypelma smithi} Mexico

Mark Carwardine / Mexican red-knee tarantula {Brachypelma smithi} Mexico

MYN / Seth Patterson / Texas brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, October. meetyourneighbours.net project

MYN / Seth Patterson / Texas brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) Sabal Palm Sanctuary, Lower Rio Grande Valley, Texas, USA, October. meetyourneighbours.net project

Michael D. Kern / Brazilian black tarantula (Grammostola pulchra) captive, from Brazil

Michael D. Kern / Sri-lankan Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria fasciata), captive from Sri Lanka

Michael D. Kern / Brazilian Pinkbloom (Pamphobeteus sp 'platyomma') undescribed species, captive from Brazil

Michael D. Kern / Socotra Island Blue Baboon Tarantula (Monocentropus balfouri) captive from Yemen

Michael D. Kern / Mexican pink tarantula (Brachyplema klaasi), ventral view captive from Mexico

Michael D. Kern / Metallic pinktoe /white toe tarantuala (Avicularia metallica)ventral view captive from Colombia

Michael D. Kern / Metallic pinktoe /white toe tarantuala (Avicularia metallica) captive from Colombia

Michael D. Kern / Tarantula (Harpactirella lightfooti), captive from South Africa

Michael D. Kern / Baboon spider (Augacephalus sp.) captive from Mozambique

Michael D. Kern / Costa Rican Horned Tarantula (Sphaerobothria hoffmanni) captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Ivory Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria subfusca) ventral view, captive from Sri Lanka

Michael D. Kern / Indian Ornamental Tarantula, (Poecilotheria regalis) captive, from India

Michael D. Kern / Indian Ornamental Tarantula, (Poecilotheria regalis) ventral view, captive, from India

Michael D. Kern / Chilian Gold Burst Tarantula (Paraphysa parvula) captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Brazilian Red Tarantula, (Nhandu carapoensis) captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Columbian Giant Redleg Tarantula, (Megaphobema robustum), captive from Colombia and Brazil

Michael D. Kern / Emerald Skeleton Tarantula (Ephebopus uatuman) ventral view, captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Emerald Skeleton Tarantula (Ephebopus uatuman) captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Blue Fang Tarantula, (Ephebopus cyanognathus) captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Blue Fang Tarantula, (Ephebopus cyanognathus) captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Blue Fang Tarantula, (Ephebopus cyanognathus) ventral view, captive from South America

Michael D. Kern / Brazillian tarantula (Vitalius dubius) captive, from South America

Michael D. Kern / Redslate ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria rufilata) captive from India

Michael D. Kern / Redslate ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria rufilata) ventral view, captive from India

Michael D. Kern / Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tree Spider (Poecilotheria metallica), ventral view. captive, from Asia, critically endangered.

Michael D. Kern / Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tree Spider (Poecilotheria metallica), captive, from Asia, critically endangered.

Roland Seitre / Whitebanded / Brazilian White-kneed Tarantula (Acanthoscurria geniculata). Captive. Tenerife, Canary Islands. Endemic to Brazilian rainforest.

Roland Seitre / Greenbottle Blue Tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens). Captive. Vivarium parque del Este Vivarium, Caracas, Venezuela. Endemic to Venezuela and other tropical South American countries.

Roland Seitre / New River Rust Rump Tarantula (Aphonopelma sp.). Captive. Tenerife, Canary Islands. Endemic to North American hot deserts.

Pete Oxford / Tarantula (Theraphosidae), newly discovered species, Yasuni National Park, Amazon, Ecuador

Sandesh Kadur / Redslate Ornamental tarantula / Yellow thighed spider (Poecilotheria rufilata) Western Ghats, Southern India.

Piotr Naskrecki / Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi), Sipaliwini, Surinam

Piotr Naskrecki / Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi) in rainforest, Sipaliwini, Surinam

ZSSD / Tarantula (Pterinochilus sp), native to Africa

Rod Williams / Brazilian White-knee tarantula (Acanthoscurria geniculata) captive, from Brazil

Rod Williams / Brazilian White-knee tarantula (Acanthoscurria geniculata) captive, from Brazil

John Abbott / Chilean rose / flame / fire / red-haired tarantula (Grammostola rosea) female, from South America

John Abbott / Close up of Chilean rose / flame / fire / red-haired tarantula (Grammostola rosea) female, from South America

John Abbott / Close up of Chilean rose / flame / fire / red-haired tarantula (Grammostola rosea) female, from South America

John Abbott / Chilean rose / flame / fire / red-haired tarantula (Grammostola rosea) female, from South America

James Christensen / Tarantula (Pamphobeteus sp) male, Mindo, western slope of Andes, Ecuador

James Christensen / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) carcass with the parasitic fly larvae that killed it, Mindo, western slope of Andes, Ecuador

Piotr Naskrecki / Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi) in leaf litter, Guyana

Piotr Naskrecki / Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi), Surinam

Pete Oxford / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) on bark. Napo River bordering Yasuni National Park, Amazon Rainforest Ecuador.

Mark Moffett / Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp) feeding on Asclepia (Asclepias sp) flower nectar, Tucson, Arizona

Ernie Janes / Chilean Rose Tarantula / Rose Spider (Grammostola rosea).

Daniel Heuclin / Bird Spider or Tarantula (Aphonopelma) male. Oliver Lee State Park, New Mexico, August.

Daniel Heuclin / Bird Spider or Tarantula (Aphonopelma) male. Oliver Lee State Park, New Mexico, August.

Alex Hyde / Chaco Golden Knee Tarantula male {Grammastola aureostriatum}. Captive, originating from South America.

Alex Hyde / Indian ornamental tarantula (Poecilotheria regalis) male.

Pete Oxford / Goliath bird-eating tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) in rainforest, largest spider in the world, Rewa River, Iwokrama reserve, Guyana

Pete Oxford / Goliath bird-eating tarantula (Theraphosa blondi) in rainforest, largest spider in the world, Rewa River, Iwokrama reserve, Guyana

Pete Oxford / Tarantula (Aphonopelma sp), Napo River, Yasuni National Park, Amazon, Ecuador

Pete Oxford / Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi), Rewa River, Guyana

Pete Oxford / Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi), Rewa River, Guyana

Pete Oxford / Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi) on tree trunk, Rewa River, Guyana

Pete Oxford / Goliath Bird-eating Spider (Theraphosa blondi) on tree trunk, Rewa River, Guyana

Michael D. Kern / Thai zebra tarantula (Haplopelma albostriatum) captive

Michael D. Kern / Thai zebra tarantula (Haplopelma albostriatum) captive

Michael D. Kern / Greenbottle blue tarantula (Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens) female, captive, from Venezuela

Murray Cooper / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) emerging from nest cavity, Amazon, Ecuador

Murray Cooper / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) in leaf litter on forest floor, Amazon, Ecuador

Stephen Dalton / Red rump tarantula spider (Brachypelma vagans) from South America

Stephen Dalton / Mexican red-knee tarantula (Brachypelma smithi) from Mexico, controlled conditions

John Cancalosi / Tarantula Hawk Wasp (Pepsis genus) perching on foliage, Chiricahua mountains. Arizona, USA

Konrad Wothe / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) near burrow, Tambopata River, Tambopata National Reserve, Peru