Are the Tarantulas that Migrate through Colorado Dangerous?

By now you've undoubtedly become aware of the mass migration of big, furry spiders that takes place in southeastern Colorado each year.

Read More: Meet Colorado’s Most Famous Tarantula |

While the mere thought of a tarantula migration might be the thing of nightmares for some, others are not only unperturbed by the arachnids but some have been seen picking them up and even putting them on their faces.

So, just how dangerous are these tarantulas?

What Species of Tarantula Migrates through Colorado?

First, let's look at the species of tarantula that you're likely to find in the migration. Scientifically known as Aphonopelma hentzi, this species of tarantula is commonly known as Texas Brown, Oklahoma Brown, and even Colorado Brown.

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Tarantulas in the Aphonopelma genus are known as some of the most docile in the world, made evident by the fact that they often tolerate handling by humans.

How Dangerous are these Colorado Tarantulas?

Now that we've established that the A. hentzi are especially docile, let's take a look at their defense mechanisms and how they might affect humans.

While A. hentzi are capable of biting, it's extremely rare that one of these spiders will actually use this as a defense and even if they did, unless the human was allergic it would likely be comparable to a bee sting.

However, this spider's main defense is to kick up a cloud of itchy, irritating hairs from its abdomen when threatened, and while getting these urticating hairs on your skin is incredibly uncomfortable, getting them in your eyes, mouth, or nose would likely be accompanied by a trip to the hospital.

It's for this reason that putting any tarantula on your face, near your eyes or mouth is highly discouraged.