Tarantulas on the march in Kansas, what to know

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Kansans with a healthy fear of spiders may get more than they bargain for this fall as thousands of tarantulas hit the road.

Autumn in Kansas brings with it the possibility of seeing the state's biggest arachnid residents in greater numbers than usual. The large spiders might be scary, especially for those who suffer from arachnophobia, but their presence isn't unusual or something that should cause unnecessary worry.

27 News spoke with experts at Kansas State University's Department of Entomology to learn more about the tarantulas. Professor of Entomology Raymond Cloyd and K-State Insect Zoo Coordinator Kiffnie Holt both weighed in on the arachnids and the reason for their appearance at this time of the year.

Cloyd said the tarantulas are long-lived and part of the natural ecosystem of the Sunflower State. Most people may go their whole lives without encountering one or even realizing they call Kansas home.

"They're very shy," Cloyd said. "We reared one in our lab and it doesn't like to be disturbed."

Holt, who began working with the tarantulas at the Insect Zoo in 2005, said she wasn't always a big fan of the tarantulas but has come to appreciate them. She takes care of the Insect Zoo's tarantula population and helps educate people about their lives.

"They weren't really on my list of favorite things until I was in charge of their lives," Holt said.

The tarantulas are known by several names, like the Texas brown tarantula or Oklahoma brown tarantula, depending on where they're found. However, Holt said previous studies have found each of these tarantulas belong to the same species of North American tarantula.

The tarantulas are most commonly seen during the fall in Kansas when larger males are out searching for mates. These members of the species are near the end of their lives and are looking for females before they die, making these reclusive burrowing spiders more visible than they otherwise would be. Many seen during this time are around eight to 10 years old.

"These guys are just there, more active during the day towards the end of their lifespan and need to find a mate," Holt said. "They take more risks and are out during the day and that's when we see them."

Holt said the spiders are generally not seen in areas of northeast Kansas and are instead more common south of Wichita and west of Salina. Most appear towards the end of the day as the sun begins to go down but heat still remains on roads. While people can go "road cruising" to try and spot one of the spiders, Holt encourages people to leave the tarantulas alone and avoid taking any as pets so they can complete their life cycle.

"There's been a couple reported cases [sightings] in the Wamego area," Holt said. "They may come up here once in a while but are certainly not common in the northeast part of the state."

The tarantulas are not dangerous though they can bite if backed into a corner and can flick hairy barbs at people or pets to frighten them off. Holt's best advice is to observe the tarantulas and, if people do want them as a pet, to find a captive-born one to raise.

"Unfortunately, movies and TV have programmed people to think they're all out to get us," Holt said. "They definitely try to run away and avoid at first."

You can visit the K-State Insect Zoo in Manhattan at 1500 Denison Avenue and check out some of the resident tarantulas and other insects. For more information on the zoo, click here.

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