No, it's not an omen or a weird biblical sign of the apocalypse. Thousands of tarantulas are venturing out to find mates just in time for the start of the Halloween season.

"What is happening is that the males are out looking for females," Lauren Davidson, an etymologist and the director of Houston Museum of Natural Science's Cockrell Butterfly Center, told USA TODAY.

The Brown tarantula's mating season takes place from late August through October, according to USA TODAY's previous reporting.

While tarantulas in Texas just finished their mating season, tarantulas in Colorado, Kansas and New Mexico will be venturing out of their homes in search of a mate.

"The males are emerging from those burrows in search of the females' burrows," said Davidson. "So the females are putting out like a pheromone, saying like, 'hey, I'm over here!'"

What should you do if you come across a tarantula?

Nothing. If you see one outside, it's best just to leave it alone.

"They're just out looking for love," said Davidson. "Let them go find a girlfriend."

They can't really creep into houses because they're too big and can't go through the cracks and crevices regular house spiders can fit through.

But, if they do manage to find their way into your home, do not chase them down.

They have little hairs on their abdomen that they rub off when they're trying to escape a big predator and it acts sort of like fiberglass. The hairs stay in the air and stick to whatever may come in contact with them. It can make whatever unfortunate creature they stick to "really itchy," said Davidson.

Instead of chasing a tarantula with a broom or fly swatter, she recommended sneaking up on it and, without grabbing it, coaxing it into a bucket to take outside and releasing it back into the wild.

Venomous, but not deadly

American Tarantulas are venomous, but if one bites you it won't kill you.

Despite what Nintendo's Animal Crossing might have you believe, a tarantula's bite will not knock you unconscious. Movies and videogames have given the giant eight-legged creatures a bad reputation.

The truth is, unless you're a rat, frog or other small creature, you should be fine.

"Bites are rare," said Davidson. "If it did bite you, it would hurt, but you could just put some ice on it. It doesn't require medical attention in most cases."

Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA TODAY

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. She has covered various topics, from local businesses and government in her hometown, Miami, to tech and pop culture. You can connect with her on LinkedIn or follow her on X, formerly Twitter, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz

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