The Chinese bird spider (Haplopelma schmidti) is a type of tarantula found in southern China and Vietnam and is considered extremely aggressive and highly venomous. According to Liang Song Ping, professor of biology at Hunan Normal University, the Chinese bird spider is one of the most venomous spiders in China. The venom of the Chinese bird spider is a neurotoxin that causes severe nerve damage, rendering the victim incapable of moving, and sometimes causing death if not treated. This spider's leg span is approximately eight inches, making it relatively large compared to other spiders in China. It captures its food by hiding and emerging from earthen burrows that can be up to several feet deep. Despite its name, the Chinese bird spider mostly dines on small rodents and insects.