Wrightwood tarantula

[Wrightwood]

One of our new neighborhood discoveries  

[Freighthauler]

wow u take some awsome pics.  U DA MAN

[Wrightwood]

I should have mentioned that my neighbor had been doing concrete work when he picked up the spider and was not bitten or harmed in any way.

[Matt]

I've been playing with tarantulas for twenty years and have never been bitten. Treat them gently and you should have no problems. If bitten, I understand that the bite is no more painful than a bee sting.

[kawasaki_girl]

All I have to say is:  EW, EWWW EWWW EWW!!!!  

[TableMtn]

You think that's bad--you should see what the tarantulas say when they see you...
       

[Hillbillies]

We saw one today at the corner of Mtn. View and Apple.  It was making its way to the brush at its own pace.  The kids enjoyed seeing the biggest "SPIDER EVER!"

[WWDREAMN]

My six year old found a terantula about the size of my 10 year old daughters palm at the country club right by the sign in table this afternoon.

[Wildman]

Lots of them around this time of year.  You mostly see the males as they go walkabout looking for females.  The females normally hang around the burrow....waiting.  If the male finds a female and they mate....she will often as not, kill and eat the male. 

I watched one cross highway 2 the other evening and was amazed as cars whizzed by without hitting it.  Very neat creatures who mean us no harm.

[free2bee]

Am I correct in thinking the males are much smaller and nearly black? We had one in our garage recently and I was surprised at how "small" it was....

[Nolena]

Yeeup! The males are noticeably smaller (and I believe the males don't live as long as the females).

[Wrightwood]

Large ones would start out by growing up 

[2CatMama]

[ForestGal]

(and I believe the males don't live as long as the females).

If the male finds a female and they mate....she will often as not, kill and eat the male.

Well, no WONDER the males don't live as long!

[backincali]

EWW those pictures gave me chills! I would NOT want to find one of these in my back yard! I did see one crossing the street when going down Lone Pine about a week ago. I had goosebumps for at least an hour after that! LOL!

[Zues]

Wow! I had no idea tarantulas lived around here.  Learn something new everyday.  Can't wait to see one. (Just as long as it's not in the house.)

[Snowline]

I saw one cruizin up Orchard a couple weeks ago, I stopped to say hi but he wasn't having any of that and got into a defensive stance. I left him alone, but he was pretty good size. Hopefull he made it accross lonepine without getting hit.

[Adrienne]

Tarantulas are so kewl! What's up with the big flying bugs we get around here. They look like beetles of some sort. I think I had one without wings in my garage once. It was about as long as my pinky finger and I swear it had a face. It was dying so I helped it along and  was so haunted by its face I buried it. Had a eulogy, made a grave marker, put flowers...

[yarncat]

Well, in the case of the one I happened upon yesterday, it almost didn't!  Driving down Upper Oriole I had to do a double take when out from the bushes along side the road crawled a tarantula attempting to cross the street.  I swerved to miss it as it turned and scurried back to the bushes.  This is the second one of these little creatures that I have seen up here.  The first was about 15 years ago on the other side of town.  That one was also attempting to crosss the road.  Back then I was told that they did not live up in these mountains and that it must have been an escaped pet.  What are the chances that I would come upon two pet tarantulas wandering the streets!  Anyone else seen these little guys?

[Mrs. Hillbilly]

We saw one, about 17 years ago, way up on H2 walking on the side of the road.  About 7 years ago we saw one walking on Mountain View just off Apple.  It's probably the same spider and he just likes to get around....