Large tarantula spooks residents of Salt Lake City apartment complex

SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — A tarantula at a Salt Lake City apartment complex window spooked residents after crawling through a window on Monday.

It wasn't a coincidence that this arachnid made an appearance just one month away from Halloween — according to wildlife experts, the fall is their mating season.

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Wild Aware Utah reported that there are approximately 621 species of spiders known in Utah, but only three are of the tarantula species — the Desert Tarantula, the Grand Canyon Black Tarantula, and the Aphonopelma Prenticei.

They added that tarantulas are not commonly seen as they spend most of their time underground. While Utah is on the northern border of the tarantula’s native range, these spiders can at times be found as far north as Cache County.

All three species are known to be nocturnal and do not pose a threat to humans.

In July, Antelope Island held their annual spider festival, which was intended to raise awareness about the island's seasonal spider population.

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