The tarantula is not an insect. It is actually a member of the arachnid family. Other members of the arachnid family include scorpions, ticks, and mites. Just naming off the various members of this family is enough to give many people the heebie jeebies. It is true that arachnids are a much misunderstood and very unpopular bunch.
Most people who aren’t up on basic zoology skills can be forgiven for confusing a tarantula with an insect. But the truth is that they simply don’t have a great deal in common. A careful study of both species will quickly reveal differences between these two families. Whether or not this brings you comfort is a purely personal matter.
Arachnids are a part of an even larger group of animals known as arthropods. This is a family that contains crabs, lobsters, shrimps, and barnacles. In case you weren’t aware, arthropods make up an astonishing 80 percent of all known animals. This amounts to over a million species, with over 30,000 of them being…gasp…spiders.
Definition Of An Insect
An insect is an animal of the arthropod family. The defining features of an insect include an exoskeleton, which means that true insects are always invertebrates. They also have three major body segments, which are the head, thorax, and abdomen. Many, but not all insects, have the ability to fly.
Insects have three pair of jointed legs and compound eyes. Nearly all species of insects hatch from eggs. They can be found in nearly every environment on every part of the earth, including the ocean. Insects are the largest family of arthropods and account for the largest division of animal life on the planet.
Definition Of An Arachnid
An arachnid is also a member of the arthropod family. This is a group of animals that includes scorpions, ticks, mites, and the tarantula. Almost all arachnids have eight legs. Like insects, they are invertebrates that are protected by an exoskeleton. Most all arachnids live on the land, although some can be found in marine environments.
Unlike insects, no member of the arachnid family has wings. They also do not possess antennae. Arachnids have bodies that are divided in a different fashion than insects. Instead of three segments, arachnid bodies are divided into a cephalothorax (the top part) and the abdomen (the lower part).
How Is A Tarantula Like An Insect?
To be sure, a tarantula does have a few features that do resemble the average insect. For one, both have an exoskeleton. This basically means that they wear their skeleton on the outside of their bodies. Like many species of insects, they tend to hide in cramped or dark spaces, away from the sight of human beings.
Tarantulas are like insects in that both are invertebrates. This means that exoskeletons are the basic means of support for both species. Tarantulas are hairy like many insects and have multiple legs. To children or uninformed adults, they can easily misidentified as insects.
However, the truth is that tarantulas, like all spiders, are members of the arachnid family and have nothing to do with insects. Tarantulas tend to feed on insects whenever they get the chance, further distancing their relationship. All in all, these are two species that are much further apart than anything in common they may share.
What Is More Dangerous, An Arachnid Or An Insect?
This is a question that many people ask while dreading to know the answer. It is true that a tarantula bite can be a very painful experience. A bite from this spider can lead to swelling and inflammation that will require medical attention. However, in the overwhelming majority of cases, a bite from a tarantula will not be fatal.
But it should be mentioned that there other kinds of arachnids that can be fatal to all other animals, including humans. These include the black widow and brown recluse spiders. When it comes to fatalities, even the much feared black widow has to take a back seat to the brown recluse. This may well be the deadliest arachnid of them all.
However, there is one insect that is the stuff of nightmares for even the big scary spiders. The greatest enemy of the tarantula is the hawk wasp. But before we delve into this horror, let’s get one thing straight. If you happen to be bitten by one, it will normally not be fatal unless you develop a very rare allergic reaction.
It goes without saying that a bite from a hawk wasp, much like that of a tarantula, will certainly land you in a world of pain. You may experience inflammation, redness, swelling, and soreness for up to a week. In most cases, the ill effects will be limited to sharp pain that will subside after a short period of time.
But back to what a hawk wasp can do to a tarantula. It’s almost too horrible to discuss. Hawk wasps lie in wait for unlucky tarantulas. When they see one, they spring on them, paralyzing them with a venomous sting. They then drag the poor spider into their den. What follows next is the truly hideous part.
Once safely ensconced in their lair, they proceed to lay their eggs inside the body of the tarantula. Eventually these eggs will hatch. When they do, the young wasps will proceed to devour the paralyzed tarantula alive.
Of course, the culprits in this case are the female hawk wasps. Males of this species prefer to feed on the flowers produced by mesquite trees and milkweed plants. It’s the female that does the brutal assassination on behalf of their soon to be hatched young.
In short, the vast majority of both arachnids and insects are harmless to human beings. There are a few nasty critters in both camps that need to be avoided. But when it comes to sheer malevolent horror, it’s the hawk wasp that really takes the cake.