While many people perceive tarantulas and other arachnids are dangerous animals you should be afraid of, Eastern’s arachnid lab is working to dispel those misconceptions.
Despite the fact that there are no tarantulas native to Michigan, Eastern Michigan University is home to the only tarantula-focused lab in North America, located on the fourth floor of the Mark Jefferson building. Here, hundreds of arachnids are cared for and studied by dedicated students. Tarantulas are severely under-studied, and the students at Eastern Michigan University are passionate about changing that story. The primary goal in the EMU Arachnid Lab is to raise public awareness and de-stigmatize spiders and tarantulas.
The EMU Arachnid Lab studies all arachnids, including spiders, scorpions, and uropygi, but their main focus is tarantulas. Research conducted in this lab prioritizes the well-being of the animals, avoiding invasive procedures and instead emphasizing their lives and behaviors. Undergraduate students Kris Gibbons and Annalyse Brogan collaborate with graduate assistant Spencer Poscente and Dr. Cara Shillington to uncover as much as possible about tarantulas. Dr. Shllington is currently in Colorado researching the Colorado Brown Tarantulas during their mating season, taking advantage of the males’ increased activity to study their behavior without intruding on their habitats. She sends live, mature male tarantulas back to the lab in Michigan where students can observe and research their behaviors and metabolics.
This male tarantula is active in the fall months during its mating season.
Once the spiders make it to the lab, students photograph them to measure their body size and ratios. They are then placed into the Ethovision XT, a cabinet-like device equipped with a camera at the top that tracks each spider’s movements. These movements are indicative of their behavior, and students can make assumptions about where these spiders are in their lifespan and why they are behaving certain ways. The tarantulas are then placed into a small container that can find data on their metabolic rate. This device measures the CO2 that the spider puts off. The higher the metabolic rate is, the more CO2 the tarantula will release.
In Colorado, Dr. Shillington is observing tarantulas in their natural environment to research burrow density and placement versus the abiotic factors these spiders face. Depending on location, different spiders will make their burrows different depths and sizes in order to keep safe during the day.
After six to seven years of growing, mature male spiders expend all of their energy in a frantic search to find a mate during the fall months. The male tarantula’s body is built for speed and endurance with long legs and small abdomens. As the spiders sprint to cover wide distances, their metabolic rates rise, and they do not prioritize food or rest. This means that they build up a byproduct in their bodies that slows them down. Most adult male spiders will die during their first mating season, often succumbing to exhaustion or predation. Although many succeed in finding mates, they frequently die after their long journeys, with some even being consumed by their partners.
This molt of a mature tarantula is one of the largest at the EMU Arachnid Lab.
The male tarantulas sent to the EMU lab are treated with care, allowing them to live longer by shielding them from external threats. However, it remains uncommon for males to survive beyond their first mating season due to the biological challenges they face.
In contrast, female tarantulas are more fortunate during mating season. They reach maturity after about eight years, and can live for over 20 years experiencing up to twelve mating seasons, and are capable of successfully mating each year. Female tarantulas are built for longevity with shorter legs and large abdomens designed to carry and protect their offspring.
Some of the tarantulas in the EMU lab were bred on campus as a part of research into their indirect reproduction. Rather than a direct sperm transfer like most animals, male spiders use their pedipalps, modified appendages on the front of their body, to transfer the sperm to their mate. The female then stores the sperm until she releases an egg, making fertilization possible. This process is common in most spiders, and has been researched in tarantulas specifically at the lab.
Tarantulas aren’t the only focus of the arachnid lab. Scorpions and uropygi are also studied by students and Dr. Shillington. Uropygi, also known as vinegaroons or whip scorpions, are a type of arachnid unique from a spider or scorpion. These shiny invertebrates are easy to identify by their curled claws and long “whip” on the back of their bodies. They do not contain venom and are harmless to humans. Several of these unique animals are housed and observed in the lab.
Biology major Kris Gibbons is beginning her research on scorpions. She had brought her pet scorpion into the lab, and was surprised to find 23 scorplings in its habitat one morning. These juvenile scorpions will now be a part of behavior lateralization research. Gibbons will be observing scorpions to determine if they are right or left-clawed or prefer turning or looking in a certain direction. While behavior lateralization has been extensively studied in mammals, this will be the first project of its kind focused on scorpions.
This curly hair tarantula lives in the EMU Arachnid Lab.
If you are interested in keeping an arachnid as a pet, the arachnid lab is selling three breeds of young tarantulas to any individuals interested. Care guides and information are available with your new pet. Tarantulas are a very low-maintenance pet. They are quiet, need very little space, and only need to be fed every three weeks. However, if you are hoping for a cuddly companion, tarantulas might not be the right fit for you. They are very independent, and they are perfectly content to stay in their hides all day. Tarantulas eat live insects such as crickets, mealworms, and roaches. If you are interested in owning a pet tarantula, contact Kris through email at kgibbon4@emich.edu.
To learn more about the arachnid lab, you can follow their instagram page @EMUArachnidLab. For a taste of what a tarantula is like, visit Buttercup, the salmon-pink birdeater tarantula in the biology office inside the Mark Jefferson Building. Buttercup is a large tarantula who lives in a bioactive enclosure, meaning she cohabitates with plants and other organisms. She likes to hide, but when she has crickets in her enclosure, you may be able to catch her eating!
The Eastern Michigan University Arachnid Lab is committed to redefining our understanding of tarantulas and other arachnids with their research to demystify these remarkable creatures. The lab not only enhances scientific knowledge, but also fosters a more compassionate perspective of arachnids. As the team continues their groundbreaking work, we are reminded that every creature, regardless of its reputation, has a story worth telling.
