Staffan Widstrand / Close up of Tarantula spider {Tarantula sp} on tree trunk, Amazonas, Brazil, September

Staffan Widstrand / Tarantula spider {Tarantula sp} on tree trunk, Amazonas, Brazil, September

Roy Mangersnes / Chilean rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea) Red colour form, in its natural habitat in the Andean mountains near Valle Nevado, Santiago, Chile. October.

Roy Mangersnes / Chilean rose tarantula (Grammostola rosea) Red colour form, in its natural habitat in the Andean mountains near Valle Nevado, Santiago, Chile. October.

Piotr Naskrecki / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) on leaf litter, Brownsberg Reserve, Surinam

Piotr Naskrecki / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) camouflaged on leaf litter, Brownsberg Reserve, Surinam

Piotr Naskrecki / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) amid leaf litter, Mamang River Forest Reserve, Ghana

Thomas Marent / Tarantula (Avicularia sp) on log, Colombia

Thomas Marent / Tarantula (Avicularia sp) in defensive posture, Colombia

Thomas Marent / Tarantula (Avicularia sp) abdomen, Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve, Peru

Thomas Marent / Tarantula (Avicularia sp), Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve, Peru

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Brazilian yellow banded pink toe tarantula (Avicularia juruensis) on tree trunk of "várzea" Amazon flooded forest, Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, Amazonas State, Northern Brazil.

Jasper Doest / Texas Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) near burrow, George West, Texas

Jasper Doest / Texas Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) on tree trunk, George West, Texas

Jasper Doest / Texas Brown Tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi), George West, Texas

James Christensen / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) emerging from tree hole, western slope of the Andes Cloud Forest, Mindo, Ecuador

James Christensen / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) in threat posture, Panama

Mark Moffett / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) being stung by Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp), California

Mark Moffett / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) moving away from Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp) which is about to thrust stinger into and stun the spider, California

Mark Moffett / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) is stunned and taken to it's own burrow by a Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp), California

Mark Moffett / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) is stunned and taken to it's own burrow by a Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp), California

Mark Moffett / Tarantula Hawk (Pepsis sp) has laid a small white egg on a stunned Tarantula (Theraphosidae) and departed the burrow, California

Mark Moffett / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) is driven from it's burrow by a Tarantula Hawk (Pepis sp), California

Albert Lleal / Metallic White-toed Tarantula (Avicularia metallica), South America

Fabio Liverani / Tarantula spider {Pamphobeteus sp} Tambopata National Reserve, Amazonia, Peru

Fabio Liverani / Tarantula spider {Pamphobeteus sp} Tambopata National Reserve, Amazonia, Peru

Fabio Liverani / Tarantula spider {Pamphobeteus sp} Tambopata National Reserve, Amazonia, Peru

Fabio Liverani / Man watching Tarantula spider {Pamphobeteus sp} Tambopata National Reserve, Amazonia, Peru

John Cancalosi / Desert Tarantula (Aphonopelma sp) Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA

Thomas Marent / Blue Fang Skeleton Tarantula (Ephebopus cyanognathus) in defensive posture, French Guiana

Thomas Marent / Columbian Lesser Black Tarantula (Xenesthis immanis) on log in flooded forest, Tambopata National Reserve, Peru

Jouan & Rius / Mygale tarantula spider in cave, Ankarana Special Reserve, Madagascar

Michael D. Kern / Cobalt blue tarantula {Haplopelma lividum} captive, from Myanmar and Thailand.

Michael D. Kern / Gooty Sapphire Ornamental Tree Spider {Poecilotheria metallica} captive, from Southeastern India and Sri Lanka

Michael D. Kern / Cobalt blue tarantula {Haplopelma lividum} captive, defense posture, from Myanmar and Thailand.

Michael D. Kern / Redslate ornamental tarantula {Poecilotheria rufilata} captive, from India

Michael D. Kern / Mexican bloodleg tarantula {Aphonopelma bicoloratum} captive, from Mexico

Michael D. Kern / Indian ornamental tarantula {Poecilotheria regalis} captive, from India

Michael D. Kern / Greenbottle blue tarantula {Chromatopelma cyaneopubescens} captive, from Venezuela

Michael D. Kern / Costa Rica Zebra Tarantula {Aphonopelma seemani} captive, from Costa Rica

Michael D. Kern / Costa Rican Tiger Rump tarantula {Cyclosternum fasciata} captive, from Costa Rica

Michael D. Kern / Costa Rican Tiger Rump tarantula {Cyclosternum fasciata} captive, from Costa Rica

Michael D. Kern / Columbian giant red leg tarantula {Megaphobema robustum} captive, from Columbia

Michael D. Kern / Chilean Rose Hair Tarantula {Grammostola rosea / spatulata} captive, from Chile

Michael D. Kern / Brazilian yellowbanded pink toe spider {Avicularia juruensis} captive, from Brazil

Michael D. Kern / Brazilian yellowbanded pink toe spider {Avicularia juruensis} captive, from Brazil

Michael D. Kern / Blue Bloom Birdeater spider {Pamphobeteus nigricolor} male, captive from Bolivia, Ecuador, Columbia, Peru

Michael D. Kern / White collared tarantula {Eupalaestrus weijenberghi}captive, from Argentina and Uruguay

Albert Lleal / Wolf Spider (Lycosa tarantula) SEM close-up view of chelicerae at 42x magnification

Albert Lleal / Wolf Spider (Lycosa tarantula) SEM close-up view of face at 14x magnification

Albert Lleal / Wolf Spider (Lycosa tarantula) SEM close-up view of face at 21x magnification, showing six eyes

Albert Lleal / Wolf Spider (Lycosa tarantula) SEM close-up view of face at 19x magnification, showing six eyes

Mark Moffett / Tarantula (Avicularia sp) floating on Yarapa River, Peru

Thomas Marent / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) crawling on forest floor, Manu National Park, Peru

Thomas Marent / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) crawling on log, Manu National Park, Peru

Thomas Marent / Spider on web, La Selva, Costa Rica

Thomas Marent / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) crawling down log, Manu National Park, Peru

Thomas Marent / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) leg, showing fine hairs used as sense organs, Tambopata-Candamo Nature Reserve, Peru

Lynn M Stone / Mexican redknee tarantula spider {Brachypelma smithi} captive, from central america

Konrad Wothe / Mexican Red-knee Tarantula (Brachypelma smithi) held in hands, Costa Rica

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Purple tarantula spider {Monocentropus balfouri}, Wadi Ayhaft, Socotra Island, Yemen

Hanne & Jens Eriksen / Purple tarantula spider {Monocentropus balfouri}, Wadi Ayhaft, Socotra Island, Yemen

Jabruson / King baboon spider {Citharischius crawshayi} female at burrow entrance, Tsavo East NP, Kenya

LYNN M. STONE / Indian ornamental tree spider {Poecilotheria regalis} captive

Jabruson / King baboon spider {Citharischius crawshayi} female with millipede prey, Tsavo East NP, Kenya

LYNN M. STONE / Greenbottle blue tarantula on leaves {Chromatopelma cyanopubescens} captive

Rod Williams / Female Brazilian salmon tarantula {Lasiodora parahybana} Brazil, South America, captive

Jabruson / King baboon spider in defensive posture (Citharischius crawshayi) tarantula spider. Tsavo NP, Kenya

Nick Gordon / Giant tarantula (Theraphosa leblondi) eating Fer de lance snake (Bothrops asper) Venezuela

Nick Gordon / A Piaroa Indian holding dead Giant tarantula (Theraphosa leblondi) before cooking it, Venezuela

Michael D. Kern / Pink toed tarantula {Avicularia avicularia} captive, occurs South America and Southern Caribbean

Michael D. Kern / Mexican red-knee tarantula {Brachypelma smithi} captive, Mexico

Michael D. Kern / Mexican red-knee tarantula {Brachypelma smithi} captive, Mexico

Nick Gordon / Piaroa indians catching Giant tarantula (Theraphosa leblondi) Venezuela

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

Nick Gordon / Tarantula spider {Theraphosa leblondi} with legs raised in defense in rainforest, Venezuela

Nick Gordon / Tarantula spider {Psalmopoeus sp} beside {Catleya superba} orchid flower, Amazonia, Venezuela

Barry Mansell / Desert Tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) approaching dead insect prey, Arizona Desert, USA

Mark Moffett / Tarantula (Theraphosidae) with prey, Rio Momon, Peru

Piotr Naskrecki / Tarantula (Psalmopoeus reduncus) in rainforest habitat, Costa Rica

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Tarantula spider on web {Theraphosidae} Amazonia, Brazil

Rod Williams / Mexican red-kneed / bird-eating spider {Brachypelma smithi} female, captive, from Mexico

Rod Williams / Trinidad chevron spider {Psalmopoeus cambridgei} on bananas, captive, from Trinidad

Rod Williams / Brazilian salmon / Giant mygale tarantula spider{Lasiodora parahybana} female, captive, from Brazil

Steven David Miller / Indian Ornamental Tarantula (Poecilotheria regalis) captive, Australian Reptile Park, Gosford, New South Wales, Australia, occurs in India

John Cancalosi / Close up of head of Desert Tarantula {Aphonopelma chalcodes} Sonoran desert, USA.

John Cancalosi / Desert Tarantula {Aphonopelma chalcodes} close-up of eyes, Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA.

John Cancalosi / Desert Tarantula {Aphonopelma chalcodes} Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA.

John Cancalosi / Desert Tarantula {Aphonopelma chalcodes} close-up o f mouthparts, Sonoran Desert, Arizona, USA.

Pete Oxford / Tarantula portrait {Theraphosidae} Noel Kempff Mercado NP, Bolivia

LYNN M. STONE / Brazilian whiteknee tarantula with shed skin after annual moult / ecdysis {Acanthoscurria geniculata} captive

John Cancalosi / White toed tarantula / bird spider {Avicularia metallica} tropical rainforest, Peru, South America

Tony Phelps / Cape orange baboon spider {Harpactira cafreriana} freshly moulted next to silken burrow, DeHoop Nature Reserve, Western Cape, South Africa. Note old skin remnants at bottom of picture.

Philippe Clement / Orange kneed Tarantula spider {Brachypelma mesomelas} Monteverde NP, Costa Rica.

Philippe Clement / Close up of legs of Mexican red-knee tarantula {Brachypelma smithi} captive, central america

Luiz Claudio Marigo / Tarantula spider, Varzea flooded rainforest, Amazonas, Brazil