Scary, (Horny), Tarantulas Invading Texas – New Mexico

Tarantulas by the thousands will soon be crawling all over west Texas and New Mexico as a zillion males start 'looking for love".

Tarantulas can be seen all over Texas and New Mexico pretty much anytime but right now they are really coming out in droves in what appears to be a mass migration.

They aren't migrating though, they're male tarantulas trying to score.

Tens of thousands of these aroused arachnids are expected in New Mexico alone, a number I'm sure El Paso's chunk of west Texas can probably match on its own. As for how many the whole state of Texas may see, 10K's probably lowballing it.

READ MORE: New Tarantula Species Discovered

Don't freak out though if you see one, some or a ton; they're not interested in you at all. They rarely enter houses but you may start seeing burrows in your yard. They look scary but they're not, they've just been villainized by Hollywood.

Are Tarantulas Venomous?

No. They have pretty big fangs though so, a bite would be painful but not life threatening. It's best to stay a good distance away because they can jump up to 2 feet. (They're really horny too, so ... ) They also have spiky hairs that they can fling at you which stick in your skin and irritate it. It's even worse if they get in your eyes.

How Long Is Tarantula Mating Season?

Trantulas typically mate between May and July, but it's only after the early summer mating peak that male tarantulas start emerging in large numbers in late July through early September. - nbcdfw

The rest of the time, they hang out in their burrows waiting for prey to come to them. (Lazy l'il devils huh?) They don't spin webs either.

How Long Do Tarantulas Live?

Females, despite dropping up to 1,000 per birth, can live up to 20-30 years. Males, who do way less work, usually only make it about half as long. Life with female tarantulas must be rough.

They're very good for the environment so, if you see any, leave 'em alone. Ok?