[music playing]
NARRATOR: The king
of the desert spiders
is the fearsome tarantula.
They can be as big
as an adult hand
and regenerate a leg, if needed.
Despite the fear they
inspire, their bite
is only mild to humans.
Their body hair is barbed,
though, and can be used
in defense against predators.
They live in burrows
to shield themselves
from the harsh desert sun.
The male tarantula
won't stray far from his
unless he has got a very
good reason like looking
for a female to hook up with.
They say gentlemen
prefer blondes.
It's certainly true
in a tarantula's case
as all females have blond hair
covering their entire bodies.
Mating with 16 legs
can be complicated.
For the male, the danger
begins with the first hello.
He taps the ground to let her
know he's a mate not a meal.
If she doesn't think
he's up to much,
she may even eat him now and
look for another suitor's
superior genes.
Using short appendages near
his mouth, called pedipalps,
he tries to hand over a
prepackaged packet of sperm
while using his other legs
to keep her fangs at bay.
He makes the hand-off.
He's more like a
postman than a lover.
Now, time to run.
She may be in the mood for
a post-coital snack, him.
Luckily, she is more
focused on getting
the next generation underway.
Their fleeting relationship
will produce up to 1,000 young.
