For some people, this is the stuff of nightmares. One particular area in the U.S. is about to be crawling with thousands of hairy tarantulas.
Starting in late August, Colorado will see a sudden influx in its tarantula population. It's part of an annual migration that lasts through October.
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The eight-legged creatures will start to invade the southern part of the state and roam around through the month of September. A second wave will hit the southwestern part of the state in October, according to Colorado State University's College of Agricultural Sciences.
One of the best places to see the tarantula migration is at Comanche National Grassland near La Junta, Denver7 reported. The best time to go is in mid-September.
The tarantulas are looking for mates. When they're not on the move, the arachnids will spend their days inside a burrow that can extend more than a foot deep. The tarantula will emerge at dusk and hunt at night, sitting at the edge of the burrow in wait of passing prey.
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After mating, the male tarantula will die off or remain active until cold weather kills them. Researchers say few survive past November. Female tarantulas rarely ever leave their burrows. They lay eggs sometime in June, which take 50 to 60 days to hatch.
Despite their large size, the university says tarantulas pose little hazard to humans and can be gentle animals. If handled roughly they may bite, producing a sharp pinch that may break the skin. However, they do not have any venom and cause no serious harm to humans.
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