Being a good neighbor ... :)

A frog and a tarantula make good housemates. Credit: Francesco Tomasinelli and Emanuel Biggi

Tarantulas are cool. Big, hairy and pretty awesome without question but it seems they're good neigbors as well as seen by the pix above. I had numerous pets as a kid but never the big T. Now being a senior, I would love to have one but the upkeep would be steep and my wife would never allow it so this Physorg piece must suffice for now. :)

The research reported for the first time an association between tarantulas and snakes, whip spiders, and harvestmen, and also reported over 60 new cases of partnerships between tarantulas and amphibians from ten different countries.

According to the researchers, the interaction, or even cohabitation, between the tarantulas and other species is often mutually beneficial.

"Apparently, the frogs and toads that live within the retreats of tarantulas benefit from the shelter and protection against their predators. In turn, they feed on insects that could be harmful to the spider, its eggs, and its juveniles. It seems that tarantulas might not be as scary and threatening as their reputation suggests," says researcher and the first author of the study Alireza Zamani from the University of Turku, Finland.

I rest my case. :)