Here’s Your Reminder That It’s Tarantula Szn in the SF Bay Area
Though SF is generally tarantula-free due to its climate and topography, thousands of these massive spiders are currently on the move in the Bay Area.
Tarantulas are creatures that you either love or hate; there’s little room for ambivalence when one's exoskeleton serves as inspiration for Halloween decor. But regardless of what feelings you hold for them, the California tarantula, which is the SF Bay Area’s only endemic tarantula, plays a major role in our region’s ecosystems.
Aside from being highly effective insectivores — they’re masters of eating hearty amounts of the crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars that could otherwise reproduce in overwhelming numbers — their burrows can serve as homes for other small creatures, once vacated. The tarantulas native to North ...