Please help: when/where to find a Desert Blond Tarantula in AZ!

[Ddexplorer]

Hello, I was wondering if there are any Arizona natives out there who would be able to tell me what month desert blond tarantulas come out of dormancy. I come out to Phoenix every year and this year I’m out here for a few months. I’ve always wanted to find a tarantula in the wild (I’m familiar with methods of finding them) but not sure when the earliest I could look for them is. Any tips? Also locations would be a huge help! BTW I only intend to view a wild one and take pictures. I don’t intend to take it from it’s natural habitat. Thanks for the help!!

 

[Poonjab]

Get outside the Tucson area around the mountains and you’ll find one.

 

[Ddexplorer]

Get outside the Tucson area around the mountains and you’ll find one.

Thanks. Is this too early in the year to start looking?

 

[Poonjab]

Might be. I have a friend that lives there and said he’s seen them. I asked him to send me pics of some and he said it’s still too early. That was like a month and a half ago.

 

[Ddexplorer]

Might be. I have a friend that lives there and said he’s seen them. I asked him to send me pics of some and he said it’s still too early. That was like a month and a half ago.

Might be warm enough now then... Thanks!

 

[Poonjab]

Might be warm enough now then... Thanks!

Out of my own curiosity, I wanted to do some research. I found that a.chalcodes are most active during monsoon season. So that puts it at June to early September in Arizona. Hope that helps narrow things down further if no natives reply.

 

[Ddexplorer]

Out of my own curiosity, I wanted to do some research. I found that a.chalcodes are most active during monsoon season. So that puts it at June to early September in Arizona. Hope that helps narrow things down further if no natives reply.

Yeah that helps! Just hoping I can find some by looking for burrows before then

 

[Anubis77]

I found them nearly year round in AZ. Easier up in the Payson/Flagstaff area in winter as they seemed to just dig shallow burrows under rocks in higher elevations. Even with snow on the ground, you could flip a rock in December and find a big female. Super easy around road cuts. Burrows opened up in concert with temperature shifts up and that could be as early as February sometimes. You should be able to find them open now all the way through late fall. Rock flipping can yield juveniles reliably in some areas where they dig deeper burrows (Superstitions, Tucson) as well.

Monsoon season is definitely the best time though.

 

[Ddexplorer]

I found them nearly year round in AZ. Easier up in the Payson/Flagstaff area in winter as they seemed to just dig shallow burrows under rocks in higher elevations. Even with snow on the ground, you could flip a rock in December and find a big female. Super easy around road cuts. Burrows opened up in concert with temperature shifts up and that could be as early as February sometimes. You should be able to find them open now all the way through late fall. Rock flipping can yield juveniles reliably in some areas where they dig deeper burrows (Superstitions, Tucson) as well.

Monsoon season is definitely the best time though.

Thanks. This is really helpful! I've looked pretty extensively in the Superstitions but may have to venture to some of the other spots you mentioned

 

[TwiztedNinja]

I've seen them in July and August here in Tucson

 

[Dead Blue Deer]

Tucson resident here! They are definitely active now. I find going out at/just after sunset works best. I typically see lots of burrows along the sidewalk in my neighborhood. Tickling the edge of their burrow with a twig is a great way to view them. Pictured: tarantulas found in my neighborhood last night.

 

[Alien_Regalis]

I travel for work occasionally and I have asked specifically to go to our Tucson installation so that I can look for tarantulas. How cool!

 

[Ddexplorer]

Tucson resident here! They are definitely active now. I find going out at/just after sunset works best. I typically see lots of burrows along the sidewalk in my neighborhood. Tickling the edge of their burrow with a twig is a great way to view them. Pictured: tarantulas found in my neighborhood last night.

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Wow, nice finds! I'll have to make my way down there one of these days

 

[Goopyguy56]

I haven't been to Arizona but I would imagine there are more brunnetes than blonds around there which is my kind of thing anyways