It’s tarantula mating season on Mt. Diablo, which means thousands of tarantulas are crawling all over the mountain.
The best way to see them is to drive up the mountain at the Northgate entrance. We’re hearing not too many are out and about if you walk up the trails from Mitchell Canyon.
QUESTION: If you had the chance, would you hold a tarantula?
28 comments
“The best way to see them is to drive up the mountain…..”
Nope. But thanks anyway.
No I would not. This makes me remember a very funny episode of the Johnny Carson show with Joan Embery, she would always bring in animals. Once she brought in a tarantula and put it on Johnny’s arm, the tarantula started to climb up Johnny’s arm, he was, needless to say, a little nervous, and wondering if it might strike him, Joan replied, no he is fine just don’t get him angry, Johnny: “How do you get a tarantula angry”. Joan just don’t blow on him”. Johnny “I won’t blow on him, then turn his head” the whole episode is hilarious and can be found on u tube. So if anyone come across a tarantula be careful not to blow on them.
Totally remember…was a Carson fan big time.
Good reminder Hanne, and thanks for the memory!
The only time I’ve ever seen one in the wild it was caught in my headlights as it dashed across a high spot of a country road in southern Mexico one night. It looked to be the size of a dinner plate. I’d like to see one (or more) around here. They’re very docile spiders if they’re used to being handled. I held one and stroked it’s fur at Lawrence Hall of Science. It’s soft in one direction.
I too was a big Carson fan, so many funny episodes, many with animals. Fortunately you can get many of these episodes on U tube. He did everything with such ease and class.
Not sure if my comment will actually get posted. Please do not attempt to handle these most fragile creatures. A drop from even a couple of inches can kill them. The spiders you might see out and about are the mature males looking for females. This is the male’s final season so please, give them a wide berth, capture with a camera only and enjoy these most docile, gentle, harmless and most important members of our mountain’s delicate ecosystem. On a side note, the spiders that folks “stroke” and hold at places like Lawrence Hall of Science or even during a program at MDSP are pets that are purchased through an authorized pet shop or breeder.
Spiderchick is correct, never try and pick one up. The males are on their quest looking for a female. They tap on the females burrow to entice her out and once they mate, she returns to the burrow while the male eventually dies. Males live about 6 years before they come out to mate, the female can live 20+ years or longer raising all those little spiders.
Agree they are very fragile. Trick is to keep your hand on the ground and let them walk across your hand. Don’t hold them while standing. Just in case they fall.
I held one at a presentation by the Sierra Club. You barely notice it on your hand, it’s so light. I’ve seen them when I’ve been hiking. Just leave them alone.
Of course I would.
They’re out at dusk a lot. If you drive slow on dirt roads you can often spot them just before its too dark to see them anymore. And guess what, they’re in our yards too–not just on the mountain. Found one in my garage one year. They’re just really good at hiding. Have a great night :o)
Are you KIDDING me??? Not on my life – not ever…!!! Just call me chicken…
Picture it – a 16-yr old on a family vacation being allowed to drive the family station wagon because we’re on a l-o-n-g straight stretch of road and suddenly we’re in the middle of a tarantula migration across the highway!! I was terrified and horrified and my dad just kept saying “just keep driving, it’s okay, just keep driving”. O! M! G! A sight I’ll never forget – burned into my memories!
I wouldn’t pick up/hassle a wild one either…however, I’ve held the petted ones before and they are vn (very nice)
this brings me back to middle school back in like 2007-2010 when i went to diablo view middle, during the fall, every other day you would see a tarantula, sometimes i saw ones bigger than a baseball glove. I miss growing up
Good time to see Tarantula Hawks on Mt. Diablo, their farthest northern range.
My buddy and I were 12 years old and rode our bikes up the mountain and caught a Mason jar full of them.
As we were leaving the park by the old Junction ranger station, the ranger steps out and says “Boys taking anything out of the park?”
“Yes,” says my buddy holding up the jar full of the electric-blue wasps.
I can still see the expression on that rangers face, like Curly of the 3 Stooges, backpedalling for safety.
He asked for the jar, and bent over and took off the lid and away they flew.
Then the ranger tells us that these beauties were Tarantula Hawks and had the most painful sting in the insect world.
What does a 12 year old know? RIP Bobby.
Wow, cool story. Tarantula Hawks! I learned something new. They sound very pretty. If I ever see one I won’t upset it. I wonder how you caught them without being stung, and why there were so many.
@Silva
We caught them by “burping” the lid on the Mason jar. In other words, as we found them covering the ground, we brought the jar close to one, flicked open the jar lid (the others remained inside the jar) and scooped them in. I’ll bet there were more than 50 in that jar
They were docile, allowing close approach, unlike bees..
Tarantula Hawks appear on Mt Diablo each year, in swarms, looking for their host. They lay there eggs in the living victim and nature does the rest.
You can’t miss a Tarantula Hawk: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarantula_hawk
Oh thanks, Noj.🙂
What a fascinating creature. Poor Tarantulas!
Yes I held one a few years back while on a tarantula hike at Mitchell Canyon. I was a little nervous but the critter was very soft footed and it wasn’t a creepy feeling like having a small spider crawl on you. I don’t like spiders but I love our tarantulas. They’re so big I think of them more as just another small animal, not as a bug.
When I was young the family would go on Sunday drives. Sometimes we would stop at a house that had a lot of tarantulas living in their yard. My brother and I would let them crawl all over us. Our parents liked that better than the place that gave my brother and I each a giant white rabbit to take home!!!
I held one about 20 years ago. My son was 7 at the time and we took a trip over to the Lawrence Berkeley Hall of Science. The Exhibit centered on spiders and an employee there asked if anyone would like to hold a Tarantula in their hand. My son blurts out “My Dad wants to do it”. I looked at him and he smiled back at me, so I held out my hand and it was gently placed on my palm. At first it was kind of creepy, but after a few seconds the little critter was kind of cute, crawling around with those large legs. My son got a kick out of it, so that’s all that really mattered. The next summer he had me buy him a pet snake!
Nooooooooo. Guess I’m just not a thrill seeker.
Unafraid, but I don’t think they make a good comfort animal.
Camel Rock Trail in Mt. Diablo State Park is a good place to run across them. 1st trailhead in the Park on North Gate(two words) Road.
Years ago a few of us rode Harleys up to Mt Diablo. On the way back down the mountain it started to sprinkle. Tarantulas came out to sit on the steamy wet roads. We rode carefully as there were hundreds of them and we did not want to run them over. It was the slowest ride down the mountain ever.
We occasionally had them in our Walnut orchards on Concord Blvd back in the 40s and early 50s. They aren’t like other spiders! If you try to hurry them along, they don’t scurry away. They turn and challenge you. You don’t want to mess with them! If they are crossing the road, you’ll have to drive around them, or wait until they decide to move, if they move at all. I don’t mind them, but arachnids aren’t my favorite animal.
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