Eek! If you have a phobia of spiders, you may want to keep your distance from certain areas in Northern California during the immediate future. Currently, thousands of giant tarantulas can be spotted roaming the grounds because of a irregularly prolonged mating season. Although your first reaction to seeing one of these massive spiders near your feet may be to freak out, experts would like the public to know that these creepy little creatures are nothing to be afraid of. Keep scrolling to learn why the tarantulas are especially visible right now and why you shouldn’t fear them in the slightest.
Parts of Northern California are experiencing unusually warm temperatures right now, and it's effecting something you probably never would've thought of: giant tarantula mating season.
Typically, mating season for tarantulas begins in late August and ends during the second week of fall. However, the region's warm and dry weather has prolonged mating season, and people all around the Bay Area are experiencing spider sightings as a result.
During mating season, male tarantulas can be seen all over the western U.S., skittering around and looking for a female mate. In fact, many tarantulas will travel up to a mile in order to find a lady spider to link with—that's a long journey for them!
The giant spiders can currently be seen in various parts of the Bay Area, particularly in natural areas around Mount Diablo State Park and Henry W. Coe State Park. If you have an interest in seeing large male tarantulas scuttling around your feet, those will be your go-to destinations.
There's no denying that tarantulas have a bad rap. After all, their size can seem intimidating to arachnophobes. However, experts are working hard to inform the public that these big spiders are nothing to be afraid of. For the most part, they are completely harmless to humans.
Tarantulas are certainly creepy looking, but the venom released by their fangs is harmless to humans. They are covered in stinging hairs which can release when the tarantula is threatened, but this causes nothing more than mild skin irritation and has no lasting harmful effects.
If you do happen to go for a walk in the Bay Area soon, be sure to watch where you step. Chances are you'll probably come across a giant tarantula! Just remember that these spider sightings are nothing to be scared of, and they are simply doing what tarantulas should do.
