No Halloween décor would be complete without spiders and especially large ones like Tarantulas. There are so many misconceptions about this type of spider so I’d like to say a few kind words on their behalf before we get started on this craft.
First of all, most Tarantula bites are about as painful as a wasp sting and will not kill humans. They use their sting for protection but if they are frightened, rather than sting they will usually try to get away from what is scaring them. Their sting is used mainly to paralyze bird and insects, their favourite things to eat.
There are at least 800 different types of Tarantulas. Some are beautifully coloured such as, my favourite, the Chilean Rose. But there are lots of spiders and other interesting animals to choose from.
A spider is an arachnid and has some characteristics that make it different from other crawling bugs. It has two distinct body parts and has 8 legs. They do not have wings so therefore cannot fly. They spin silk to make webs which they use to catch other insects. Learn more about arachnids.
Now that you know a little about them, let’s get started making one that is sure to send a chill down the spine of anyone who is arachnophobic or afraid of spiders.
Supplies:
- 2 paper plates—a large one for the head and a smaller one for the body
- 4 pipe cleaners—cut each one in half to make eight legs
- Feather Boa
- Paint
- Stapler
- Hole punch
- 2 pompoms
- Glue
Directions:
- Overlap the plates and staple them together
- Paint the underside of the spider in the same colour as the feather boa.
- Punch 4 holes on each side of the body. Weave each pipe cleaner through 2 holes and bend them to look like legs.
- Put 2 more holes on the back of the neck of the spider. Thread yarn through these holes so the spider can be hung up.
- Cut off a piece off from the feather boa so it is long enough to cover the back of the spider. Cut a smaller piece for the head. Glue them on.
- Glue pompoms in a contrasting colour on the head.
A fun way to display some of your Halloween crafts including this Tarantula spider is to make a mobile out of a witch’s hat. The hat I used has a wire around the edge of the rim making it perfect for this project.
Just attach a string to each of your crafts and tie them on to the hat’s rim. Attach a string to the tip of the hat’s peak and hang it from someplace like a light fixture.
[Photograph by Linda Dunbar. Reproduction prohibited]
