It’s that time of year again when tarantulas will begin to emerge for mating season.
If you’re in Colorado, you could start seeing some creepy crawlers scurrying around your area.
Southeast Colorado in particular is home to thousands of tarantulas.
While an annual mating ritual, the phenomenon is sometimes mistaken for a migration, according to Visit La Junta. But every year in August and September, the male tarantulas leave their burrows in masses and begin searching for a female partner.
In places like La Junta, which is east of Pueblo, you’re likely to spot the “Colorado” brown tarantula.
“This dark brown to black species of the genus Aphonopelma is common here because its females prefer to make their burrows in the plentiful undisturbed prairies on the Comanche National Grassland of Southeast Colorado,” says Visit La Junta. “Once these females have made their burrows, they tend to stick close to them for the entirety of their lives, which can be 25 years long.”
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The tarantula’s mating season kicks off right when the weather starts to cool at night, making September an ideal time of year. This continues through October and sometimes into early November, before conditions get too frigid.
While many people would like to avoid a run-in with a tarantula, the annual event has generated a lot of interest among nature watchers. In fact, the town of La Junta invites people to visit and watch the spiders on their journey.
If you visit the Comanche National Grassland and want to spot one, Visit La Junta says activity really picks up before sunset, making 5:45 to 6 p.m. an ideal time to be on the lookout.
While female tarantulas have a lifespan of about 25 years, their male counterparts typically only live for about 10 years.
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