Southern California & Tarantulas. For our purposes we are concerned with the two species which occur in San Diego, California. Within about 6 months after mating, male tarantulas die. The females live for another 25-or more years; they're built to last! Stinging Insect Inspections, Control, Removal & More in San Bernardino, Orange, Los Angeles, Riverside & San Diego Counties, California. But tarantulas are not the enemy, oh no, no , no. Image via Wikipedia. How to Keep Tarantulas Out of Your Home and Yard Genus Aphonopelma. This stops the tarantula from detecting any ridges which … Tarantulas live primarily in the tropical, subtropical, and desert areas of the world, with the majority found in South America. Southern California & Tarantulas. One unique arachnid found not only in the Sonoran Desert but also in the Mojave and Chihuahuan deserts is the desert tarantula. Most males do not live through this molt, as they tend to get their emboli, mature male sexual organs on pedipalps, stuck in the molt. The tarantula hawk wasp actually feeds on nectar, pollen and fruit. The tarantula hawk wasp is most active during the hot summer months and will fly very low to the ground searching for prey. As for the specific places tarantulas live, it can be varied based on the species and the environment in which they live. Image via Wikipedia. In the United States, tarantulas are found in southwestern states. They primarily hunt tarantulas but will make do with other large spider species. If you suffer from arachnophobia (fear of spiders) or are concerned for your children or pets, you may wish to rid your home or yard of tarantulas as well as other spiders. Usually nocturnal, the mature tarantulas (about 6-7 years old) venture out in the daylight looking for a Stella to play opposite their Stanley. By controlling pests and small insects around your home, you will help deter spider and Tarantula Hawk Wasps from around your home. Ensure that the soup can is level with the surface of the ground. It’s called a migration, but for the thousands of male tarantulas that live in Southern California, it’s more like “knocking on doors looking for a date.” This is the time of year when SoCal hikers could chance upon these eight-legged wonders that inhabit local grasslands, chaparrals, canyons and deserts. The Aphonopelma genus has 90 described species distributed through North & South America as well as Central America, & Mexico. More recently (1990), Arachnophobia had killer tarantulas terrorizing a California town. Sometimes female tarantulas live upwards of 20 years. In the United States, tarantulas are found in southwestern states. There is a good video from the San Diego Zoo showing this whole courtship and mating ritual with the California tarantula’s cousin, the even larger Goliath tarantula. Spiders found in California include 66 unique species from confirmed sightings by contributing members of Spider ID. Check out these amazing photos of desert tarantulas. Tarantulas in the United States prefer to live in the desert areas of states in the Southwest such as Texas, Arizona and parts of California. “It’s very exciting to see,” says Gennet who has witnessed the march of the tarantulas in Northern California and who has a list of places in the L.A. Basin and surrounding areas where folks *may* see one of nature’s most hairy arachnids. This entry was posted in Invertebrates Spiders & Tarantulas Venom and tagged California Tarantula herpetoculture reptile blog Southern California Spider tarantula on September 23, 2010 by John F Taylor. Creature Feature: The Desert Tarantula Looks Big, Hairy, and Scary . Most tarantula fanciers regard females as more desirable as pets due to their much longer lifespans. Apart from the Amazon, lots of species of tarantula can be found in the US. If you have a natural aversion to spiders, you might want to steer clear of the San Francisco Bay Area for at least the next few days. By Bob Janiskee - December 5th, ... of a mortuary operator unleashing pet tarantulas against her foes.