The Goliath birdeater is essentially a spider that belongs to the tarantula family, Theraphosidae. It’s the second largest spider in the world. Also called the Goliath bird-eating spider, it gets its name from reports of explorers from the Victorian era, who witnessed one eating a hummingbird. Continue reading for more.
Despite its name, the Goliath birdeater does not normally eat birds. As with other tarantulas, their diet consists primarily of insects and other invertebrates. However, because of its naturally large size, it is not uncommon for this species to kill and consume a variety of vertebrates. In the wild, larger species of tarantula have been seen feeding on rodents, frogs, lizards, bats and even venomous snakes.
