Bird-catching spider or pink-toed tarantula
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Bird-catching spider or pink-toed tarantula
Bird-catching spider or pink-toed tarantula spider, Aranea avicularia.. Handcolored copperplate engraving from George Shaw and Frederick Nodders The Naturalists Miscellany, 1800
Mary Evans Picture Library makes available wonderful images created for people to enjoy over the centuries
Media ID 14218957
© Florilegius / Mary Evans
Avicularia Catching Frederick Miscellany Naturalist Nodder Polydore Shaw Spider Tarantula Toed Aranea
EDITORS COMMENTS
This exquisitely handcolored copperplate engraving, taken from George Shaw and Frederick Nodder's "The Naturalist's Miscellany" published in 1800, depicts the intriguing and captivating world of the Bird-catching Spider or Pink-toed Tarantula (Aranea avicularia). The spider, with its distinctive pink toes and long, slender legs, is shown in the act of catching a bird, a remarkable feat that has long fascinated naturalists and collectors alike. The Bird-catching Spider is native to Central and South America and is known for its unusual hunting methods. Instead of spinning a web to ensnare its prey, this spider emits a sticky substance from its abdomen to coat its legs, allowing it to cling to the sides of trees and walls. When a bird lands on the spider's webby retreat, the spider quickly extends its legs and grabs the bird with its fangs, delivering a lethal bite. This engraving, produced during the height of the Enlightenment period, reflects the growing fascination with the natural world and the desire to document and understand the intricacies of the natural world. The meticulous attention to detail in the engraving, from the delicate feathers of the bird to the intricate patterns on the spider's legs, is a testament to the skill and artistry of the engravers of the time. Polydore Nodder (1768-1844) and George Shaw (1751-1813) were prominent naturalists and illustrators of the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Their collaborative work, "The Naturalist's Miscellany," was one of the most comprehensive and accurate records of the natural world of its time, featuring a wide range of plants, animals, and minerals from around the world. This image of the Bird-catching Spider is not only a beautiful work of art but also an important historical document, providing a glimpse into the natural history of the past and the fascination with the natural world that continues to this day.
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