Well they were hunting, just not for food. Tarantulas have very poor eyesight, very primitive brains, and very slow metabolisms. They can go quite long without food. That's why they're most successful when they just stay home and protect themselves. They're some of the most "get off my property" animals around.
I'm sure it was a total buffet for the roadrunners. Live is pretty hard and short for male tarantulas.
Those are all males trying to find a lady to breed with before they die. Females and juvenile males tend not to stray too far from their burrows.
The species you saw was likely Aphonopelma hentzi. Mature males of the species tend to be much darker than females and juveniles.
I always (incorrectly) assumed they were hunting. I guess most tarantulas sit in a hole and wait for something to move in front of it.
They would be all over and the roadrunners were getting after them.
Well they were hunting, just not for food. Tarantulas have very poor eyesight, very primitive brains, and very slow metabolisms. They can go quite long without food. That's why they're most successful when they just stay home and protect themselves. They're some of the most "get off my property" animals around.
I'm sure it was a total buffet for the roadrunners. Live is pretty hard and short for male tarantulas.