Celebrate Friday the 13th With This Tarantula That’s Looking for Love

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is celebrating Friday the 13th with something many consider creepy: a tarantula. The state agency shared a short clip to their Instagram with the well-known giant furry spider making a trek across a gravel path.

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Colorado wildlife officials say it’s mating season for tarantulas, and many of these spiders are traveling to find a mate.

You’ll find these spiders in the southeast corner of the state, which is mostly plains, away from Colorado’s iconic Rocky Mountains. 

A recent NPR article focused on the town of La Junta, Colorado, where it’s pretty easy to catch sight of a tarantula that’s on the hunt for a partner. The town has become so well-known for the spiders this time of year that they’ve seen a bump in tourism.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife says the tarantula in the video is a male based on the hooks on the front legs and the enlarged pedipalps, which are the second set of smaller-looking legs on the spider’s head.

Sadly, the spider will die after mating.

Learn more about spiders and other arachnids like scorpions. 

Source: https://outdoors.com/celebrate-friday-the-13th-with-this-tarantula-thats-looking-for-love/