Fans of creepy-crawlies can now see the world’s heaviest spider and one of the most venomous scorpions around as the eight-legged arachnids are added to a popular exhibition in Toronto.
Visitors have been awed by “Spiders: Fear and Fascination” at the Royal Ontario Museum since June.
Now, a Brazilian wandering spider, a goliath bird eating spider from the northern Amazon – which can reach up to 30cm in diameter – and a death stalker scorpion have been added to the collection.
But ROM entomology technician Antonia Guidotti says there’s no need to be afraid of the poisonous predators.
Antonia told CTV News: “Spiders aren’t going to bite you unless you’re threatening them.
“So if you’re bothering the spider or you’ve squished it in some way, it might bite. But most of the time spiders don’t bite.
“Their venom is too precious for them.”
Visitors to the downtown museum have a chance to see milking time at the ROM, when the poisonous venom is taken twice a day from the spiders, but only after they are gassed to be safely handled.
The venom collected will be sent to a lab for biomedical research, which may be used to create medicines.
But the toxin from most of the spiders in the ROM collection is harmless to people.
And those hoping to handle the creepy crawlies are in for disappointment, as it could hurt or traumatize them.
Those hoping to conquer their arachnophobia can visit Spiders : Fear and Fascination through January, 2019.
Visitors can learn how spiders spin webs, dance, swim and even grow back lost limbs with nearly 400 live and preserved arachnids.
The three new arachnids will be on view to the public starting Monday, September 24.
