The Goliath birdeater spider is one of the largest spiders in the world. It is a tarantula. It lives in burrows in swampy areas of northern South America. It eats insects, rodents, bats, small birds, lizards, frogs, and snakes. The spiders have fangs, but their venom is harmless to people. Hairs on their bodies can irritate human skin. Explorers named the spider when they saw one eating a hummingbird. 