Tarantula season in the US: These states can expect 'hordes' of crawlers soon

Time of India

28-07-2025

Image credits: Getty Images
If you get creepy crawlies from spiders, then it seems it's time to get your best blanket and hide under it, as the Tarantula season in the United States is coming soon. Tens of thousands of tarantulas will be crawling out of their burrows in search of females, making for one of the most wondrous displays of nature and its processes.
Why so? Well, the tarantula mating season is officially here.
Where will the tarantula hordes be seen?
Image credits: Getty Images
Across the United States, the tarantula hordes can be seen in California, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Texas. However, they will also be prevalent in their habitats of the Western and Southwestern states such as Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Oregon and Washington.
Certain types, such as Mexican red rump, will be prominent in South Florida, and the Texas brown in Oklahoma and Missouri.
Across the US, there are 29 individual species of tarantulas, whose males will all be out in search of their one true love.
When are the tarantulas likely to come out?
Image credits: Getty Images
Tarantulas are the permanent residents of these areas, but they keep to themselves in their abodes in the grounds.
'As with most things that live in the desert in the summer, they're generally nocturnal,' said Dan McCamish, a senior environmental scientist with California State Parks, to USA TODAY.
'So unless you're out in the middle of the night, which I don't recommend for safety purposes, you likely won't see them.'
However, when the weather starts to shift in September, October and November, they are ready to get it going. 'They generally wait for the first fall seasonal rain – they really respond to the late summer warmth and the increase in moisture,' he said.
'They're typically out from late evening into early dawn,' he said.
'That's when visitors tend to see them,' said McCamish.
What to do if you encounter some tarantulas?
Image credits: Getty Images
As is the case with all beings of the other kind, they are not looking for any human interaction. McCamish advises to leave them alone. "It's a wild animal – it doesn't want to be picked up and loved and hugged,' he said.
He added that tarantulas are generally docile, but if you were to handle one, they could bite you. It's understandable how the visual of numerous tarantulas wandering around might send one running to the hills, but it's important to understand that they are not there for you, but just searching for their mate.
Just beware of not touching them, as they have tiny barbed hairs that they can flick into the air and can hit you, and they can jump as high as two feet.
'In truth they're gentle, ecologically valuable animals,' said McCamish. 'Mostly they're interested in escaping from confrontations – especially with something they know could squish them.'
Tarantulas play an important role in maintaining the ecological balance. They not only help in insect control, but their burrows also improve soil aeration and water filtration.
Additionally, their presence helps biologists figure out if an ecosystem is healthy. 'If there are tarantulas living somewhere, you can generally assume the habitat is functioning,' McCamish said.