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[color=#4B0082]Your link is broken, The13thMan. It should be pointing to [url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061027-tarantula-video.html]http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061027-tarantula-video.html[/url]. Speaking of arthropods eating small rodents and birds, I found this [url=http://www.birdwatchersdigest.com/site/backyardbirds/hummingbirds/mantis-hummer.aspx][u]article[/u][/url] about a praying mantis eating a hummingbird. It's got pics, too: [center][img]http://img235.imageshack.us/img235/8349/mantiscatcheshummingbirmi4.jpg[/img][/center] I'm torn between feeling sorry for the hummingbird and cheering on the mantis. I think it's pretty awesome that the mantis could catch something that big.[/color]

[url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061027-tarantula-video.html]http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/10/061027-tarantula-video.html[/url]. [COLOR=DarkOrange][FONT=Century Gothic] The goliath tarantula is arguably the biggest spider in the world. This thing can eat small mammals! It's known for taking down birds! o_0 To me, this is the most bad *** of all insects. I mean... dang! Watch the video, you'll see what i'm talkin' about. This picture makes my skin crawl....[/FONT][/COLOR] [IMG]http://www.kingsnake.com/suncoastherpsociety/images/tarantula1.jpg[/IMG]

[SIZE="1"][FONT="Arial"]The time has come, once again, for sakurasuka to reenter this thread with the next creepy-crawly-many-legged installment. Meet the Red Roman Spider*. Solifugid- [img]http://www.museums.org.za/bio/images/scorpions/sol1.jpg[/img] Ranging from 15-70mm (160mm including legs), these terrifying creatures aren't really very harmful to humans. Their venom is not deadly, but they have powerful jaws. They are carnivorous creatures who feed on anything from bugs to rats and small birds. One thing that is particularly unpleasant is that solifugae prefer hair for nesting, so it is not uncommon for them to approach sleeping humans and dogs and collect hair. They are common mostly the Africa. *Technically, the Red Roman, or solifugae, is not a spider in the least. It is closely related, however. They also go by the name of Sun Spiders, though they, ironically, flee from sunlight and prefer dark spaces. Most Red Romans are nocturnal.[/FONT][/SIZE]

[QUOTE=Dagger]My post won't follow the same format as most of the rest of the thread, since I just wanted to say that I thought this [url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0308_060308_spider.html][u] short article[/u][/url] was quite interesting. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the spider's body structure--even with the labeled photograph included, it doesn't totally make sense to me. Pretty interesting stuff, though. ~Dagger~[/QUOTE][color=#4B0082]o_O It looks like it has the abdomen of a spider, the thorax of a praying mantis, and the legs of a grasshopper. . . . The platypus of the arthropods? And I'll also vouch for dragonflies biting when handled. They don't care if they're just sitting on you, but hold one in place and you'll find that sucker chomping down on your finger. Not that it hurts much--at least not from the common Darner dragonflies. Now, when I caught an alligator lizard and it latched onto my finger, that hurt. . . . But that's a different subject.[/color]

My post won't follow the same format as most of the rest of the thread, since I just wanted to say that I thought this [url=http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/03/0308_060308_spider.html][u] short article[/u][/url] was quite interesting. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around the spider's body structure--even with the labeled photograph included, it doesn't totally make sense to me. Pretty interesting stuff, though. ~Dagger~

To be completely honest with you, the first thing I thought of when I saw this thread was Gil Grissom from CSI. :animeswea Personally, I'm not a fan of bugs. I really hate bugs. [I]Especially[/I] spiders. Where I'm from we get black widows, and I swear I'm definately not going to be able to sleep tonite! Soooo to make me not so wussy compared to you entomology buffs, I decided to contribute my own kinda bug. [IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/0/0e/Ladybug_on_a_leaf.jpg/250px-Ladybug_on_a_leaf.jpg[/IMG] That's right the Ladybug! [B]Scientific classification [/B] Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Arthropoda Class: Insecta Order: Coleoptera Suborder: Polyphaga Infraorder: Cucujiformia Superfamily: Cucujoidea Family: Coccinellidae Latreille, 1807 Other interesting facts: Ladybirds are found worldwide, with over 4,500 species described, more than 450 native to North America alone. Ladybirds are small insects, ranging from 1 mm to 10 mm (0.04 to 0.4 inches), and are usually yellow, orange, or red with small black spots on their carapace, with black legs, head and feelers. This next one has a little parental discretion... [SPOILER]The ladybird beetle copulates for up to nine hours at a time, and males may have three 90-minute orgasms in one session[/SPOILER] :animeblus Ladybirds are beneficial to organic gardeners because most species are insectivores, consuming aphids, fruit flies, thrips, and other tiny plant-sucking insects that damage crops Thank God for Wikipedia!

[quote name='Derald][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]As many may know, there is no better way to learn something than by experience. Although many sources say that dragonflies are harmless, I know, for a fact, that they do actually bite, regardless of how much research institutions deny it. How do I know? Approximately 6 years ago, while I lived in New York, I used to go to a friend's house and chase dragonflies. As I did this more, I eventually caught one with my bare hands and held it up to see. Being cuious, I placed my finger next to its mouthparts. Upon doing this I was given qiute a painful bite - data acquired. This, however, is only personal experience, not general statistics.[/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]I was also pulling this from my general experiences (as well as from Wikipedia). My dad's a river guide (among other things) so every summer we usually take week-long river trips. Dragonflies usually live near bodies of water, their young being aquatic and all, so they're fairly common on the river. Generally, they mind their own business if you mind yours. Even if they land on you, they'll sooner fly off than bite if you move suddenly. Of course, many creatures will bite you if you try to touch them, so I'm not surprised that a dragonfly would (especially considering how big their chompers are).[/FONT][/COLOR] [quote name='Derald][SIZE=1][COLOR=DarkRed]Now, even though they are virtually the fastest insect on the planet, it is a common misconception that they are able to reach speeds of 60 mph. They are, in fact, only able to reach speeds of about 25-30 mph, with cruising speeds of around 10 mph.. It may not sound fast to you, but it is indeed fast for an insect. Don't believe me? Check this [URL=http://www.dragonflysoc.org.uk/frameset.htm?faq&faq]link.[/URL][/SIZE'][/COLOR][/quote] [FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]In this case, I got this information from Wikipedia. It's not always the most reliable source, but it did say that the Common Green Darner dragonfly ([i]Anax junius[/i]) can reach speeds of 53 mph (about 85 km/h). I don't know what the source for this one is, but it's always best to take Wikipedia information with a grain of salt.[/FONT][/COLOR]

[FONT=Times New Roman][COLOR=DarkSlateGray]I can't believe you guys haven't mentioned this one yet: [IMG]http://www.brocross.com/dfly/species/pics/Anax%20imperator%20m%201a%2015-6-04.jpg[/IMG] The Dragonfly! The one in the picture is a male Emperor Dragonfly ([i]Anax imperator[/i]). [b]Kingdom:[/b] Animalia [b]Phylum:[/b] Arthropoda [b]Class:[/b] Insecta [b]Order:[/b] Odonata [b]Suborder:[/b] Epiprocta [b]Infraorder:[/b] Anisoptera Dragonflies are probably my favorite type of insect. They're completely harmless to humans, having no sort of bite or sting, but are ruthlessly efficient at keeping down mosquito and midge populations. Anything that does that is good in my book. Trivia: They are the world's fastest insects, able to reach speeds of up to 60 mph. The largest modern species of dragonfly is the [i]Anax strenuus,[/i] a species native to Hawaii, with a wingspan of 7.5 inches (19 cm). The smallest is the [i]Nannophya pygmaea,[/i] with a wingspan of 3/4 (about 20 mm). The largest prehistoric dragonfly was the [i]Meganeura monyi[/i] from the Permian period, with a wingspan of 27.5?29.5 inches, or 70-75 cm! They have nearly 360 degree vision, having nearly 30,000 facets in their compound eyes. [IMG]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/9a/Dragonfly_eye_3811.jpg[/IMG][/FONT][/COLOR]

Dude, I dissected crickets today for Zoology lab. I felt bad though, since they were still alive, so I had them executed. My favorite insect though is grasshoppers. Honestly, I kill them all the time, they scare me sometimes, and there's thousands of them in Iowa (where I am, FYI), but I love their structure. The whole thing with the legs and then the wings is just brilliant. [URL=http://www.diamondcomics.com/toychest/toys/99_11/SEP995092.jpg]I HAVE A PICTURE![/URL]

[SIZE=1]Sakura's third spider installment for Derald. Heck YES =D Mexican Red Knee Turantula [IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v150/unmei_shinpai/MexicanRedKnee_02.jpg[/IMG] The Mexican Redknee (Brachypelma smithi) is a member of the Theraphosidae (Bird-eating spiders) and has been collected since the 1970's and 1980's. It was originally discovered by a collector named H.H. Smith in 1888, and was one of the first spider species to enter the pet trade. Range: Pacific Coastal regions of Mexico. Habitat: Enjoy living in and around natural debris, such as cacti, bushes, logs, and rock piles. Found in deserts and scrublands Diet: Mostly insects, however, adults may eat young mice or small lizards. Reproductive Behavior: Male tarantulas initiate courtship first by spinning a web and depositing small drops of sperm on the surface. Then he finds the female and quiets her with caresses. Using a mating structure (arm-like appendages called pedipalps) located near the mouth, he breeds with the female. Immediately afterwards he leaves quickly to avoid the possibility of being eaten. After a period of time the female's abdomen will begin to swell with eggs. She then releases them into a cocoon where they develop into juvenile tarantualas. Special Features: Because of its gentle nature, huge body size and beautiful coloration, the Mexican redknee tarantula has been used in many films such as "Raiders of the Lost Ark" and a few James Bond films. All tarantulas have venom but this venom usually does not harm humans. However, some people may have an allergic reaction so it is best to leave them alone. These are the most common pets, as far as tarantulas go. I wish my brother wasn't terrified of all things with more than four legs, or my step-dad might've let me get one of these suckers. That would be awesome.[/SIZE]