Suddenly, Missouri’s Largest Spider Out of its Den & On the Move

It's a startling sight to see. Suddenly, the largest spider in Missouri that isn't seen often seems to be everywhere. That is happening right now and there's nothing to worry about. It's nature being nature.

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If you're driving down a Missouri backroad especially in the southern half of the state, you might just see something that will look odd and for some people terrifying. It's the annual migration of the Texas Brown Tarantula. As the Missouri Department of Conservation mentions, this is the largest spider in the state. While females are only a couple inches in length, a mature male tarantula can extend up to 5 inches. Yikes.

This is the time of year when the male Texas Brown Tarantulas leave their dens and begin the quest to find a mate. The Missouri Department of Conservation gives details:

In late summer and fall, Missourians in the southern part of the state may see these large arachnids crossing roads.

Once you see these big spiders on the move, you'll have your first true test to see if you have arachnophobia. By the way, that's not just the fear of spiders, but also includes what Wikipedia calls the "irritational" fear of ticks also. Personally, I think my fear of spiders is completely rational, but that's just me.

Late August all the way through October, don't be surprised if you see one of these big spiders traversing Missouri roadways. It's nature on the move and it happens every single year.