Did you know there’s a spider called the Mexican flame knee tarantula? It gets its cool name from the bright orange color on its legs. This tarantula comes from places called Guerrero and Michoacán. It’s a lot like another spider, the Brachypelma smithi. We have more fun facts to share about this topic here!
Size: The Mexican Flame Knee Tarantula has an impressive size, averaging between 14-15 cm.
Color: Their entire bodies are black, except for their knees, which have a flaming bright orange coloration.
Other Characteristic Features: There are setae on several parts of this tarantula’s body, notably the legs and abdomen.
Eggs
Once mating takes place, the female lays 50-2000 eggs at a time.
Spiderlings
After 8-9 weeks, the eggs hatch. The juveniles are very skittish and display burrowing behavior.
The Web
Similar to other tarantulas, they do not use webs to catch prey.
Are Mexican Flame Knee Tarantulas Venomous?
Yes, Mexican Flame Knee tarantulas have venom, but it’s usually mild and not dangerous to humans.
Can Mexican Flame Knee Tarantulas Bite?
Yes, Mexican Flame Knee tarantulas can bite. They might do so if they feel scared, but their bite feels like a small pinch to most people.
Ecological Importance and Behavior of Mexican Flame Knee Tarantula
Mexican Flame Knee Tarantulas play an essential role in their ecosystem by controlling the population of insects such as cockroaches, crickets, and locusts. Their burrowing behavior is also beneficial to the soil, helping to aerate and mix it, which can promote plant growth.
Natural Predators: In the wild, these tarantulas face threats from larger predators, including birds, reptiles, and mammals, which can prey upon them despite their venomous defense.
Prey-Predator Dynamics: As predators, the venom of the Mexican Flame Knee Tarantula is effective against the insects they prey upon, which helps maintain a balanced ecosystem by controlling insect population sizes.
Relationship with Humans: Humans find the Mexican Flame Knee Tarantula to be a fascinating pet due to its docile nature and colorful appearance. While they can bite if threatened, their venom is not typically harmful to humans, and bites are likened to a small pinch.
A Mexican Flame Knee tarantula has a striking appearance with a velvety black body and legs. Its most defining characteristic is the vibrant, flame-orange coloration on the patellae, or ‘knees,’ of its legs. Adults also have fine hairs called setae covering their abdomen and legs.
Adult Mexican Flame Knee tarantulas typically reach an impressive size, with an average leg span of 14 to 15 centimeters (approximately 5.5 to 6 inches). This makes them a medium-to-large species, valued by enthusiasts for their substantial size and distinct coloration that becomes more prominent with maturity.
Yes, Mexican Flame Knee tarantulas possess venom, but it is considered mild and not medically significant for humans. A bite, which is rare and usually defensive, typically results in localized pain, itching, or swelling similar to a bee sting, rather than a serious medical emergency.
Mexican Flame Knee tarantulas burrow primarily for protection and to regulate their environment. These burrows offer a secure retreat from natural predators like birds and reptiles and help maintain consistent temperature and humidity levels. This behavior is especially pronounced in skittish juveniles seeking a safe space to grow.
In their native environment, Mexican Flame Knee tarantulas are opportunistic predators that primarily consume insects and other small arthropods. Their diet commonly consists of crickets, locusts, and cockroaches. By feeding on these creatures, they play an important ecological role in controlling local insect populations.
No, Mexican Flame Knee tarantulas do not spin webs to capture prey. They are terrestrial ambush predators that typically wait near their burrow entrance to seize passing insects. Silk is used primarily for practical purposes such as lining their burrows for stability or creating egg sacs for reproduction.
A female Mexican Flame Knee tarantula can lay a very large number of eggs after a successful mating. She will construct an egg sac that can contain anywhere from 50 to as many as 2,000 individual eggs. The spiderlings typically hatch from these eggs after eight to nine weeks.
Dr Richard J. Pearce (PhD) on June 11, 2022.
Spider Team
