Desert Blonde Tarantula
Aphonopelma chalcodes
A big, hairy tarantula of the Southwest deserts whose bite is about like a bee sting.
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About the Desert Blonde Tarantula
Desert blonde tarantulas, also called Arizona blonde or western desert tarantulas, live in deserts of the southwestern U.S. and Mexico. They have a light brown front body, lighter legs, a darker abdomen and a legspan of about 3.8 inches. They dig burrows and need very little water. They hunt lizards, crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, cicadas and caterpillars.[1]
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Aphonopelma chalcodes[1]
- Size
- Legspan about 3.8 inches.[1]
- Lifespan
- Females 20+ years; males 8 to 10 years.[1]
- Diet
- Carnivore. Lizards, crickets, beetles, grasshoppers, cicadas and caterpillars.[1]
- Habitat
- Deserts, in burrows.[1]
- Where it lives
- Southwestern United States and Mexico.[1]
- Group life
- Solitary and nocturnal.[1]
- Babies
- About 1,000 eggs.[1]
- Conservation status
- Not evaluated by the IUCN.[1]
Fun facts
Vocabulary
- tarantula
- A large, hairy spider.
- urticating hairs
- Itchy hairs a tarantula can flick at predators.
- pedipalps
- A pair of leg-like feelers near a spider's mouth.
- venomous
- Able to inject poison by biting or stinging.
- arachnid
- An animal with eight legs and two body parts, such as a spider or scorpion.
See it in person
- Oakland ZooOakland, California · Children's ZooSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
- Oakland ZooOakland, California · House of BugsSee this animal on the zoo's website ↗
These zoos had this animal when we gathered our information, but animals sometimes move. Check the zoo's website or contact the zoo before you visit.
Sources
- [1] Oakland Zoo. “Desert Blonde Tarantula.” https://www.oaklandzoo.org/animals/desert-blonde-tarantula/ (accessed 2026-10-02)
Facts last checked 2026-10-02.
