10/06/2026
Great info! 🕷 🕷
Spooky season is happening in the Mojave Desert, and Lake Mead National Recreation Area is crawling with creepiness. So, if you’re into that kind of thing, now’s the time to spot a tarantula walking in the early moonlight or a black widow hiding in the shadows!
Tarantulas and other spiders are more common this time of year since October is mating season. During the fall, you have a good chance of seeing male tarantulas scurry across the desert floor. Watch where you step during the sunrise and sunset hours. These often misunderstood and sometimes feared creatures are out and about at these hours, roaming across the desert looking to find females. We call this Tarantula migration.
And if you come across one, let them pass. They may be scary looking but are unlikely to bite. If you get too close, they might throw their hairs at you, and that could be irritating.
Another very common spider in the Mojave Desert, that you SHOULD practice caution around, would be the Black Widow. She hides in dark places and works hard to protect her eggs. Always take a look before you reach into spaces that you haven’t explored in a while such as your boat at the dock, or your kayak stored in the garage.
Drop-for-drop, the neurotoxic venom of a female Black Widow is significantly more potent than that of a rattlesnake, but you won’t receive as much venom from a spider as with a rattlesnake bite. Seek medical care if bitten by either a black widow spider or a rattlesnake.
Despite their spooky reputations, though, spiders and snakes play an important role in our desert ecosystem.
NPS Photo / A. Cattoir
