No, it is not an omen or a strange Biblical sign of the ApocalypseThousands of tarantulas are set out to find friends, just in time for the start of the Halloween season.
“What happens is the males go out and look for females,” Lauren Davidson, etymologist and director of the Cockrell Butterfly Center at the Houston Museum of Natural Science, told USA TODAY.
According to previous reporting by USA TODAY, the brown tarantula’s mating season lasts from late August through October.
While the tarantulas in Texas have just completed their mating season, tarantulas in Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico are looking for a mate.
“The males come out of those burrows looking for the females’ burrows,” Davidson said. “So the females are putting out a pheromone, like saying, ‘Hey, I’m here!'”
What should you do if you encounter a tarantula?
Nothing. If you see one outside, it’s best to leave it alone.
“They’re just looking for love,” Davidson said. “Let them find a girlfriend.”
They can’t really get into houses because they are too big and can’t squeeze through the cracks and crevices that normal house spiders can.
But if they manage to enter your home, don’t chase after them.
They have little hairs on their bellies that they rub off when they’re trying to escape a large predator, and it works a bit like fiberglass. The hairs get suspended in the air and stick to anything they come into contact with. It can make any unfortunate creature they get stuck to “really itch,” Davidson said.
Rather than chasing a tarantula with a broom or fly swatter, she recommended sneaking up on it and, without grabbing it, luring it into a bucket, taking it outside and releasing it back into the wild.
Poisonous, but not deadly
American tarantulas are venomous, but if they bite you, you won’t die.
Despite what Nintendo’s Animal Crossing would have you believe, a tarantula bite won’t knock you out. Movies and video games have given the giant eight-legged creatures a bad reputation.
The truth is, everything is fine unless you’re a rat, frog, or other small animal.
“Bites are rare,” Davidson said. “If it did bite you, it would hurt, but you can just put some ice on it. In most cases, no medical attention is needed.”
Contributors: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY
Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered a variety of topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown of Miami to technology and pop culture. You can contact her at LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram And TikTok: @juliamariegz
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tarantula mating season: Thousands set to emerge in 3 states