January 18, 2012

The tarantula, which appeared in Arkansas about 8,000 years ago, is the largest spider known to inhabit the state. The spiders are found in most areas of the state, with the exception of the Delta. Females are known to live as long as twenty years. Most of what is known about the tarantula in Arkansas is due to the work of Dr. William Baerg, who taught for thirty-one years at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.