Desert Tarantulas

Aphonopelma chalcodes commonly known as the western desert tarantula arizona blond tarantula or mexican blond tarantula is a species of spider belonging to the family theraphosidae.

Desert tarantulas. If it has silk in or over the hole it is active. Science photo library matulavich peter. A tarantula may inhabit a burrow for years. They occupy various kinds of nests with many species taking up residence in burrows or crevices which may be sequestered in the ground along cliff faces among rocks under tree bark or between tree roots.

Tarantulas live in dry well drained soils in open areas throughout the desert and grassland areas. It has a limited distribution in the deserts of arizona and adjacent parts of mexico but can be very common within this range. Female tarantulas can lay several hundred eggs within an egg sac. The desert tarantula is one of more than 850 species of tarantulas found around the world.

They generally hide during the day choosing instead to rest under rocks or in protective burrows that are abandoned by desert rodents. All north american tarantulas are ground dwellers although some other species live in trees cliffs caves or in crops like bananas and pineapples. Desert tarantulas are a common sight in the southwestern states and mexico. If you notice holes in your yard about the size of a quarter it is probably a tarantula hole.

It feeds on insects but may fall victim to the large and colorful tarantula hawk wasp. The hatchlings don t stay together long otherwise they will start eating each other. The desert tarantula aphonpelma chalcodes is the most common tarantula seen in the tucson area and is one of 30 species found in arizona. Tarantula species are found in africa southern europe areas of the middle east southern asia.

They are most active during the monsoon and into early fall. Only a few hatchlings make it to adulthood. The largest desert spider is not poisonous to humans but its bite can be terribly painful if provoked.