Aphonopelma iodius in the wild!

[smallbike]

Found at Mount Diablo State Park in California.

I monitor a few trail cams for the Bay Area Puma Project, and picked Mount Diablo as my location specifically because it’s known for its tarantula mating season. Very cool to finally see one as they’re usually out after sunset!

***I PROMISE this was the only unauthorized physical contact I made - I put my hand out and he walked onto it on his own, then went on his way to find a lady.

 

[goldenpumpkin]

That's awesome I've never handled one in the wild before

 

[smallbike]

That's awesome I've never handled one in the wild before

Obviously I wouldn’t recommend “handling” but my hand never left the ground, and I let him crawl onto my palm all by himself, and then off once he’d satisfied his curiosity. I was SO EXCITED to finally meet one!!

I got a bonus Pacific gopher snake sighting too, it was a fun hike even if I can barely walk today lol

 

[DustyD]

View attachment 59371Found at Mount Diablo State Park in California.

I monitor a few trail cams for the Bay Area Puma Project, and picked Mount Diablo as my location specifically because it’s known for its tarantula mating season. Very cool to finally see one as they’re usually out after sunset!

***I PROMISE this was the only unauthorized physical contact I made - I put my hand out and he walked onto it on his own, then went on his way to find a lady.

I wonder if that would work with Pumas?

 

[prince charmless]

View attachment 59371Found at Mount Diablo State Park in California.

I monitor a few trail cams for the Bay Area Puma Project, and picked Mount Diablo as my location specifically because it’s known for its tarantula mating season. Very cool to finally see one as they’re usually out after sunset!

***I PROMISE this was the only unauthorized physical contact I made - I put my hand out and he walked onto it on his own, then went on his way to find a lady.

Near Concord Cali, where I lived once upon a time

 

[smallbike]

I wonder if that would work with Pumas?

If I ever meet one I will be standing there looking like the heart-eyes emoji while it starts mauling me.

 

[Jeef]

So from what I can gather, it is just the males that have the dark triangle on their carapace? I shouldn't even be looking, I'm already out of space.

 

[smallbike]

So from what I can gather, it is just the males that have the dark triangle on their carapace? I shouldn't even be looking, I'm already out of space.

Oh I have no idea! This is one of those species that has enough regional variation for their taxonomy to constantly be rearranged, and most of the pictures I’ve seen are of wild mature males out and about, so couldn’t speak to the females. I’m sure someone else here has more expertise on the California Aphonopelma species!

 

[octanejunkie]

@MBullock

 

[MBullock]

if memory serves correctly the iodius from diablo ended up being eutylenum

 

[regalspottedbeast]

What a treat! When I lived in San Diego I unfortunately never got a chance to see a tarantula in the wild. Very cool, what a beauty.

 

[octanejunkie]

What a treat! When I lived in San Diego I unfortunately never got a chance to see a tarantula in the wild. Very cool, what a beauty.

Go out to Chino State Park, you will see hundreds

 

[MBullock]

for iodius, you have to be east of the mountains on the rainshadow slope into the valley. That population of iodius was formerly called smithi. eutylenum are on the mesic slope, generally, but can be found on the xeric slope as well.

 

[smallbike]

for iodius, you have to be east of the mountains on the rainshadow slope into the valley. That population of iodius was formerly called smithi. eutylenum are on the mesic slope, generally, but can be found on the xeric slope as well.

Oh cool, thanks for sharing! I swear the species designation changes every couple of months lol