# Brachypelma albopilosum

The Brachypelma albopilosum, also known as the curly-haired tarantula, is a furry spider that makes a cozy home in burrows. They are gentle and can be fun to watch as they explore their surroundings.

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Habitat:** Grasslands
- **Also known as:** Curly-haired Tarantula

![Brachypelma albopilosum](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Brachypelma.albopilosum.female.jpg&width=800)

Photo: Sarefo, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Brachypelma.albopilosum.female.jpg)

## Appearance

The Brachypelma albopilosum is a medium-sized tarantula with a dark brown to black body, covered in dense, long, light-brown to golden-blonde bristles, giving it a distinctively fuzzy or 'curly-haired' appearance. This shaggy coat makes it visually unique among tarantulas.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Arachnida
- **Order:** Araneae
- **Family:** Theraphosidae
- **Genus:** Tliltocatl

## Interesting facts

- Despite its name, its 'curly' hairs are actually stiff bristles!
- If a leg breaks off, this fuzzy spider can actually regrow it!
- They spend most of their lives living alone in cozy underground burrows.
- This tarantula cleans itself carefully by 'brushing' its hairs!

## Special abilities

- **Hair Flick Defense:** Brachypelma albopilosum can kick off irritating hairs from its abdomen that helps them deter predators.
- **Silk Burrow Builder:** Brachypelma albopilosum can produce silk to line burrows that helps them create safe, hidden homes.
- **Vibration Sensing:** Brachypelma albopilosum has sensitive bristles that helps them detect prey and danger through vibrations.

## Measurements & details

- **Size:** 50-70 mm
- **Lifespan:** 5475-9125 days
- **Leg Count:** 8

## Diet & Feeding

These fuzzy spiders mainly eat insects and small creatures they ambush.

- **Primary Foods:** crickets, roaches, grasshoppers, small lizards, small rodents
- **Foraging Method:** Ambush

## Ecological connections

- **Hunts:** [field cricket](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-cricket) (*Gryllus bimaculatus*) — Ambushes and eats crickets for food.
- **Parasitizes:** tarantula hawk wasp (*Pepsis marginata*) — Wasp lays eggs on paralyzed spider, larvae eat it.
- **Eaten by:** [ocelot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ocelot) (*Leopardus pardalis*) — Can become a meal for hungry wild cats.

## Traits

- [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur.
- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
- [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind.
- [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Always watch spiders from a distance and never touch them without permission.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Brachypelma albopilosum?

Compare body proportions, leg shape, abdomen markings and the web, if there is one. Eye arrangement can be decisive but rarely shows up in a casual phone photo. A web is a supporting clue, not proof of who built it. Spider Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is Brachypelma albopilosum?

50-70 mm

### How long does Brachypelma albopilosum live?

5475-9125 days

### What does Brachypelma albopilosum eat?

These fuzzy spiders mainly eat insects and small creatures they ambush.

### Where is Brachypelma albopilosum usually found?

Grasslands

### How does Brachypelma albopilosum hunt?

Ambush

### How many legs does Brachypelma albopilosum have?

8

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

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Source: [Brachypelma albopilosum: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brachypelma-albopilosum)