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Aphonopelma hentzi
A brown and tan tarantula, it's Oklahoma's only species. Males often wander in the summertime in search of females, and can easily be seen crossing roads. As you can see by photo #2, they sometimes don't like to be messed with! :-)
They are commonly found in grasslands, burrowed under ground; or using logs, stones, or other small animal's abandoned dens as their home and feeding grounds. Brown tarantulas will use their spinnerets to line the entrance of their shelter with webbing so as to detect passing prey.
It seems like every state in which this species occurs attempts to put their state name on the common name. (e.g. - Kansas brown, Oklahoma brown, Texas brown) I simply call it the "brown tarantula" for the sake of argument.
1 Comment
Handsome spider! I haven't made the acquaintance of a Tennessee brown yet (if they exist here) but I would certainly like to!