Arachnophobes beware: Conditions across the United States are perfect for a mass emergence of eight-legged giants.
Tarantulas are emerging across multiple states as the arachnids shift into their mating seasons, prompting a warning for eight states in particular.
While the creepy crawlers are most often found in the Southwest, states outside of this region will also be subject to an emergence of tarantulas.
The exact mating seasons vary by species, location, local climate and other factors, but most overlap in the fall.
According to the BBC’s Science Focus, the yearly mating of these giant spiders are most often noticed in Colorado, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. The emergence sees a bizarre ritual play out.
“Every year, male tarantulas come out in search of a mate,” Houston Museum of Natural Science associate curator Lauren Davidson told the BBC. “The females tend to stay in their burrows and emit pheromones to let males know where to find them.
“So, if someone were out during this time of year and saw a tarantula roaming around, it most likely would be a male. The males emerge when the climate is just right, so it is very dependent on the area where you live.”
Male tarantulas will “knock” once a female spider’s burrow is found.
Have you seen a tarantula in the wild in your state?
Just because a male spider knocks politely does not guarantee he will survive the encounter. Females can and will eat mates that are too slow to escape their grasp.
For a male tarantula, mating is less an act of love and more a dance with death–especially if the female’s deadly fangs succeed in grabbing him, injecting him with venom, and liquefying his insides. 😨
🎥America’s Wild Seasons pic.twitter.com/YVmXpn6Moj— Smithsonian Channel (@SmithsonianChan) March 31, 2022
Newsweek warned that one species, the Texas brown tarantula, is set to emerge across its vast eight-state range from late August to October.
States where residents could see one of these tarantulas include New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Texas and Louisiana.
The tarantulas are described as “shy and docile” and, like many species of wildlife, will only attack a human when provoked or threatened.
“Tarantulas do have the capacity to bite if they feel threatened, but they’re most likely to run away,” Oklahoma State University’s Insect Adventure director Andrine Shufran said, according to Newsweek.
“When there’s no other alternative, they’ll face off by standing on their back four legs and showing their fangs. This is typically when the spider and the human part ways and no one gets hurt. However, tarantulas will bite as a last resort.”
Fangs are not the only problematic parts of the spiders.
Small hairs on tarantulas’ bodies can be detached when the creatures feel threatened and carried away by the wind, potentially causing a rash on contact with skin.
“When they become disturbed, they release those urticating hairs by rubbing their back two legs across the hairs to create a sort of forcefield,” Shufran said.
“The hairs are carried by air movement and are incredibly itchy to people and animals.”
