Description:

Tarantulas are our heaviest spiders by weight and have a body length of about 1 ½ inches. They are relatively common and their large size makes them quite recognizable. Typically, the head-thorax region (cephalothorax) and legs are dark brown, the abdomen brownish black. Color may vary between individuals and certainly changes after a molt.

Life cycle:

Females lay 100 to 1,000 eggs in a web which is constructed like a hammock. The egg sac is retained in the burrow, guarded, and usually held by the female. Eggs hatch in 45 to 60 days. Spiderlings hatch in July or later in the year within the egg sac. Once they leave the egg sac, the spiderlings may stay with the females for 3 to 6 days or longer before dispersing. Many of the young fall prey to other spiders or predators as they disperse to begin their own burrows. Females have lived in captivity for over 25 years.

Pest Status:

Large size and hairiness of tarantulas attracts attention and concern, bites are generally not serious to humans. When disturbed, tarantulas maneuver to face the threat and will raise up on their hind legs and stretch out their front legs in a threatening posture. When disturbed they also may rapidly brush the top of their abdomen with their hind legs which dislodges urticating hairs from the spider abdomen which irritate the eyes or skin of an attacker.

Control:

Tarantulas, jumping spiders, wolf spiders and some other spiders worry people who mistakenly believe they are seriously poisonous. Although these spiders are often large, hairy and formidable looking, they rarely bite and at worst their bite is less harmful than a bee sting. People who are allergic to spider venom, though, may react severely to any spider bite.

Click HERE For Fact Sheet EPP-7301 Spiders: Brown Recluse, Black Widow and other Spiders.