Meet the Tarantula as Big as Your Face

Discovery News ^ | 4-5-2013 | Marc Lallanilla

[Renfield]

It's big, it's hairy, and it's venomous.

The newest spider to give arachnophobes the willies, a tarantula named Poecilotheria rajaei has been discovered on the island nation of Sri Lanka.

With a leg span of 8 inches (20 centimeters) and enough venom to kill mice, lizards, small birds and snakes, according to Sky News, the crawler is covered in subtle markings of gray, pink and daffodil yellow.

"It can be quite attractive, unless spiders freak you out," Peter Kirk, editor of the British Tarantula Society journal, told the New York Daily News.

Even the scientists studying the spiders admit to being a little freaked out by its size: "It was slightly smaller than the size of the plate we have dinner on," Ranil Nanayakkara, co-founder of Sri Lanka’s Biodiversity Education and Research, told the Daily News....

[Eye of Unk]

Yep, I think it was one of his first film roles, was like 19 or so I think.

[skinkinthegrass]

Clint Eastwood was the pilot in p-80 @ end of the flick...first named role.

[left that other site]

And then there was “Stephen McQueen” in his first role in “The Blob”! LOL!

I guess everybody has to start SOMEWHERE! :-)

[skinkinthegrass]

older, he also (reputed) starred w/ Francis; the talkin’/football-kicking mule

[skinkinthegrass]

small.. they’re bigger in TX. :-D

[benasawin]

—”It’s big, it’s hairy, and it’s venomous.” —

hee-hee Maybe a fella has to live through it to really appreciate it but that was right on the mark. Fortunately, 28 years later, one can laugh and reflect back on the experience and recognize the humor of the situation.
Appreciate your wit.

[SkyDancer]

Guess they've never been to Australia.

[SunkenCiv]

Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!

(Thanks Renfield.)

[BushCountry]

[Bigg Red]

apro-poe

***
Quoth the raven, “Nevermore!”

[Former Fetus]

[dfwgator]

[antisocial]

I just watched an old episode of “Tales of Wells Fargo” Steve McQueen was in. The credits said introducing Steve McQueen.

[FroggyTheGremlim]

"It's big, it's hairy, and it's venomous. "

Hillary?

[left that other site]

That must be when he was Introduced as “Steve” rather than “Stephen”! LOL :-)

[Oratam]

"A tarantula!"

[SWAMPSNIPER]

[miliantnutcase]

Great movie, even better author.

[Celtic Conservative]

Thank you, i'm here all week, don't forget to tip your waitstaff.

CC

[Moltke]

It needs something like a quarter next to it to show its size.

They tried. It ate the quarter.

(Actually, my first thought as well...)