Our Chicken Hunting Spider Thread

[Sheri]

As some of you may recall, I was a little skeptical of the existance of a obligate NW burrower that appeared to live communally. It was clear that I needed to do some more research, and I did.

In Peru, with Lelle.

We only found one definite communal burrow... a mature female, and a sub-adult. But many other burrows around the lodge, some just a few feet from the lodge itself.

Amazing animals! Just unbelievably stunning. And BIG! And the experience of observing them in the wild... we could have just camped out in front of that burrow for hours I think, if we had more time to record as much info as possible, but we didn't have that long in the rainforest. Rick West confirmed it is an undescribed Pamphobeteus spp. that is referred to as the Chicken Hunting Spider.

Here is a pic of the confirmed communal burrow, the detail isn't great because I had to take it from far away as they were pretty skittish and would run back into the burrow at any disturbance. We were very lucky to find both out at once, I think. When we first explored that burrow, we saw the smaller one first... drew it out with the stick method. After it retreated Lelle tried again, and this time the large female emerged. It was clear, more so to Lelle because he was the one focusing on it, that there were two spiders of different sizes in there. Exciting as hell. But when we saw both out at the same time.... anyway, here is the pic, I hope Lelle's has turned out a little better.

And another of the same speices, individual burrow, but a fabulous specimen! (Lelle found this burrow) Well... Lelle found most of them because of his highly superior headlight.

 

[GoTerps]

Outstanding Sheri! My favorite kind of pics!

 

[bugsnstuff]

nice one Sheri, you found no young young then though?

 

[Sheri]

nice one Sheri, you found no young young then though?

No, not very young ones that we could see. More intersting, in a way, that 2 larger ones were there, I think. Though the burrow was large, and deep...

Here is another, less cropped, of the 2 together.

And a younger specimen... looked like it had just found his burrow, and come from somewhere else as it was clearly opportunistic, and not dug out at all. No webbing in ANY of the burrows we found excpet for 2 that had hung their old molts in the debris at the top of the mouth of the burrow.

 

[Jmadson13]

wow, fantastic stuff thanks for sharing :clap:

 

[Greg Wolfe]

Chicken Spider...

Awesome photos Sheri! I have been looking at them over and over.
Pure wow factor here.

 

[Keith Richard]

Brilliant!! Congrats Sheri and Lelle, and thanks for bringing some credibility to this so called folk lore "nonsense". Where are the nay-sayers now?? I don't notice this thread being inundated by the rediculous comments that have been posted fairly recently on this matter.

Thanks again, must have been quite the experience.

 

[Tescos]

Have you anymore pics of the Candamo Tambopata National Park? I read that it is quite something else.

 

[Crotalus]

I will post pictures as soon my (insert curse words of your choice here) computer is running again... Well my graphic card driver cd wont work...

I can only say that finding my first wild tarantula and it happen to be a "chicken spider" is just beyond words to me. Incredible experience for sure.

/Lelle

 

[Sheri]

Brilliant!! Congrats Sheri and Lelle, and thanks for bringing some credibility to this so called folk lore "nonsense". Where are the nay-sayers now?? I don't notice this thread being inundated by the rediculous comments that have been posted fairly recently on this matter.

Thanks again, must have been quite the experience.

In all honesty, I was totally one of the naysayers. I mean, the idea of large, obligate burrowers hunting together, or living communally seemed so bizarre.
But I read the paper, saw the video, was humbled and then quite taken with the entire concept. Of course, I have no proof that they hunt or feed or attack together as I didn't witness it. But as Lelle says, just seeing them, and seeing 2 outside a burrow together like that was an amazing moment. Just seeing the first wild T... the first burrow. It wouldn't have mattered I think at that moment what species it was - a G. rosea, (not found there I know) but any tarantula would have been an incredible moment.

I can tell you that I have extensive redesign plans for my terrariums. I've never been one to keep them in small enclosures, and many are decorated, but not to the standards I have now. My appreciation has greatly grown from just the animal to everything around the animal - terrain, eco-system, living preferences, etc.

Seeing a 7" well fed spider in nature sitting at the entrance of her burrow in the moonlight is something I would never, ever get tired of. Additionally, I know now there is no possible way I will ever buy anything WC again, unless the species was threatened naturally and my keeping it would preserve it.

I have a lot more pics of the species, but I will wait until Lelle can get some of his up. It was interesting to see the different styles of burrows, and how they adapted to the different surroundings that they were situated in.

Additionally, I will be giving a hopefully interesting and concise presentation on all the behaviours, and observations of this species at the Canadian Arachnoconference in July for those that are attending. Lelle and I will create it together as an overall view of what we experienced specifically with this species.

As for more pics of the trip, they can be found here.

 

[Crotalus]

A few pictures....

Ok I forced my comp into submission so here we go...

A big female lured by the straw trick, they seemed to get tired of the trick quite fast

The two located outside the burrow. Very difficult to get a better picture because they were easily scared down the burrow once we tried to move closer

One larger outside its burrow

We also found 3 juveniles

And also one large female in competely dry sand right under the lodge kitchen

There were a number of individuals around the lodge area, and just outside the burrow we could see the exuvia in a few of them

Heres Sheri trying the straw trick

And offcourse I just felt an urge to pick one up for a closer look, the locals kept saying "loco" all the time.. something good I guess

/Lelle

 

[GoTerps]

Sweet pictures!! Thank you very much for sharing them!

Did you happen to see any mature males wandering around? Could be the wrong season I guess.

 

[Sheri]

Saw no mature males.

Though the cook told Lelle that he tied a cricket (they are huge there) onto a string and had three small ones attack it from that family burrow we saw.

Tried the same trick without success. Lelle was bitten by the crickets too.
Insects, reptiles, and fish he got to experience the bites of.

 

[Randolph XX()]

wowowowowow!!!!!
u guys should've brought some chicks to feed them!!!

 

[Crotalus]

No males wandering around, it would been nice to a mating...

/Lelle

 

[Sheri]

wowowowowow!!!!!
u guys should've brought some chicks to feed them!!!

The last night we stayed out until 2 AM feeding them. It was absolutely the most fun I have ever, ever had!

 

[dbaines]

Sheri i notice the title of this thread is our chicken hunting spider dont you think that Martin Nichols should get some credit for orignally working and studdying this new sp

 

[Nerri1029]

AWESOME pics Sheri !!!

much better than mine..

how neat is it to get to see something the rest of us just talk about and with little hands on knowledge ...

and I'm gonna shut up about the original thread..

 

[Crotalus]

Sheri i notice the title of this thread is our chicken hunting spider dont you think that Martin Nichols should get some credit for orignally working and studdying this new sp

As far as I know, he didnt find them - the local peruvians did. And credit him for a name the locals there never even heard of? Im not so sure. They called it "tarantula"

Edit: we wasnt at the same lodge. Same area of the peruvian Amazon but many hours by boat between the location Martin been to and where me and Sheri was.

/Lelle

 

[FryLock]

It's great that you took the time and money to check it out for yourselves but i have to agree with Darren there Martin did bring them to light for us all to be amazed by :clap:.