Interesting Animal Relationships: Tarantulas and Frogs!
How would you like to have your own personal body guard in return for some small housekeeping work? I sure know I would! However this interesting and unique relationship is one that isn’t based on trust or compassion, more so convenience. The deadly Tarantula and its housekeeper frog!
I am not a fan of spiders, not in the slightest. When it comes to spiders I always believe the bigger they are the more deadly they are, not always the case, but when it comes to Tarantulas they can be highly dangerous and very scary. This is why I find this particular relationship very interesting.
Expert killer: The massive Tarantula!
The Tarantula can grow to colossal sizes for a spider, in some cases its wing span can be as large 12 inches. It uses its size to catch and kill prey as much larger then itself, in some instances it will catch, kill and eat medium sized mammals. Its diet of birds, rodents and snakes is a diverse one. It is highly venomous as well as being strong. Its large fangs inject paralysing venom into its prey making them easier to kill. When dealing with small creatures the Tarantula is one of the finest hunters, and frog being one of its favourite foods, you would think that this relationship was impossible. How can this deadly hunter and its prey co-exist peacefully?
Tarantula digesting a snake!
The small frog, situated inside the Tarantulas home, is a guard to the spiders egg sac. This may seem strange as why would a little frog need to guard the spiders young, when the Tarantula itself is more than capable. This frog isn’t a next meal, instead it is a housekeeper, the frog keeps the nest free of ants and other insects that might try to eat the spiders eggs, in return the frog gets a eight legged bodyguard so its is free from any predators that may come its way. It essentially gets its own fortified home.
Tarantula eating a frog!
The little frog however is not completely powerless to the Tarantulas attack, if the spider is to get peckish it will benefit in no way by trying to eat its little housekeeper, as the frogs skin is covered in a toxic chemical that will kill or seriously harm the Tarantula should it try to eat it. I am still pretty sure that the frog is still terrified at all times when living with its massive companion, I know that I would not like the relationship it has.
For more info check out this brilliant video.
Related Articles:
http://scienceray.com/biology/zoology/interesting-animal-relationships-tree-ants-and-caterpillars/
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