All New and Bright Blue: This Spider is “Mesmerizing”

A new, rare, and “enchanting” electric blue tarantula was just discovered in Thailand.

“The secret behind the vivid blue coloration of our tarantula lies not in the presence of blue pigments, but rather in the unique structure of their hair, which incorporated nanostructures that manipulate light,” says researcher at Khon Kaen University, Narin Chomphuphuang, adding that the new spider is “mesmerizing.”

Blue is considered to be one of the rarest colours in nature, with only about one in ten flowers being blue and only about four per cent of all 900 known tarantula species having a blue colouration. Likely, this electric blue tarantula gets its colour in order to catch the eye of potential mates. An auction was held to name the new species – Chilobrachys natanicharum – and all proceeds from the auction went toward educating Lahu children in Thailand and cancer patients. One thing is for sure: this bright blue spider is catching not only a potential mate’s eye but our eyes, too.