KEY TAKEAWAYS

Tarantulas in southern Utah are harmless despite their intimidating appearance during mating season.

These arachnids contribute ecologically by controlling pests like mosquitoes and grasshoppers.

Tarantulas prefer avoiding humans and are mostly nocturnal especially in desert regions.

SALT LAKE CITY — They are hairy and the size of a baseball, and if you live in the Southwest, you may seem them roaming around.

It is mating season for the tarantula, and the males are on the lookout for a female friend. That includes southern Utah, where you may see them out and about.

But even though it is a tarantula, they are relatively harmless, with venom less potent than a common wasp.

"It's a wild animal — it doesn't want to be picked up and loved and hugged," said Dan McCamish, a

See Full Page