Emily Chan
“The dense hair covering the tarantula’s body makes it difficult for the ants to bite or sting the spider. Therefore, we believe that the hairiness may have evolved as a defense mechanism. This hypothesis is supported by findings that many burrowing New World tarantulas cover their egg sacs with urticating hairs,” Zamani said.
When the tarantulas release their barbed hairs, they deter and sometimes even kill their attackers. The spiders can also prevent ants from attacking their eggs by covering egg sacs with these hairs. So, species with thinner body hair are more vulnerable to attacks from ants.
In addition, the research team uncovered some early evidence suggesting that tarantulas can emit chemical secretions as a defense strategy. It may explain why dogs and cats move away quickly after sniffing a tarantula.
More research is needed to confirm these findings, but overall, this study has helped clarify some of the behaviors of tarantulas.
The study was published in the Journal of Natural History.
