Tarantulas are emerging from their burrows as males feel the call of mating season in areas around Las Vegas. The Bureau of Land Management and Lake Mead National Recreation Area have shared information about the spiders this week. Park interpreter Kayla Wolfe of Valley of Fire State Park said males come out after a specific molting process that is triggered by environmental factors like temperature and humidity, often following warm fall rains.
Wolfe explained that after molting, tarantulas wait for their new exoskeleton to harden—taking a little over a week—before heading out to look for females, who release pheromones and silk near their burrows. She noted that the term 'migration' is misleading, as tarantulas do not move in groups across long distances; instead, males walk around searching for mates during this season.
Sightings are still rare treats and most likely to occur in the early morning or early evening hours. Known locations for possible sightings include Red Rock Canyon, Sloan Canyon Conservation Area, Joshua Tree Highway between Searchlight and Nipton, Death Valley National Park, Gabbs, Nevada, and Valley of Fire State Park, where rangers have seen or heard reports of three tarantulas recently, with numbers possibly increasing after expected rains.
Wolfe said she recently heard someone refer to tarantulas as 'horror hamsters,' which she called her new favorite nickname for them. The National Park Service advises that during the fall, there is a good chance of seeing male tarantulas moving through the desert landscape.
Sources: 8 News Now
Original reporting: 8 News Now →
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