Photo byMothore, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

When I learned the brown tarantula is also native to Missouri, I gasped, and when I say I'm not too fond of spiders of any genus is an understatement. It's psychological. They have too many legs.

Recently, the brown tarantula hit the news because it's the mating season for this large spider. Newsweek published Tarantula Warning for Eight States: What to Know, and naturally, I had to read it so I could see if Missouri was on the list. Surprise. Missouri is one of the eight states listed.

The genus name of the brown tarantula is Aphonopelma hentzi. If you have a fear of spiders, that won't be important to you. This type of tarantula has been referred to as the Texas brown tarantula, the Missouri tarantula, and the Oklahoma brown tarantula.

The brown tarantula is supposed to be one of the most common tarantula species in the southern states of the U.S. The leg span of the Texas brown tarantula can be more than four inches. It can weigh more than three ounces when it becomes an adult. Their bodies can have different shades of brown.

Photo byNareeta MartinonUnsplash

Mating season

The mating season of the brown tarantula is between late August and October. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), if you don't include its legs, the length of females is an average of two inches and males is around one and a half inches.

This chocolate brown colored tarantula is Missouri's largest order of spiders. "There are more than 50 species of tarantulas in North America, but this is apparently the only one native to Missouri." (Source.)

As they are nocturnal, they can be found in abandoned rodent tunnels looking for insects like crickets. They do not prefer areas where people are frequently seen. If you live in the southern portion of Missouri, you might see one going across a roadway.

These tarantulas do have fangs and a venom they use to capture prey. They aren't looking to capture humans. Compared to other spiders that only live for around a year, the female tarantula can live up to 30 years. As far as the ecosystem is concerned, these spiders control the population of the species they consume.

Some people like to handle tarantulas or keep them as pets. Not me.

Thanks for reading.