August 14, 2012:   Did you know that female
tarantulas can live up to 25-35 years?

I have no idea how old our bashful resident
tarantula is (it would be impertinent to ask
her); however, she's been living in the same
burrow on our property for many years, coming
out in the summer months (particularly August)
and hibernating through the winter.

Often folks are intimidated by her 3 inch body
and even longer hairy legs, until they come to
realize she's quite docile and a huge benefit
to have around, as she eats cockroaches,
centipedes, scorpions, and even rodents.

A homebody at heart, she does most of her
hunting at night within a few feet of the
entry of her burrow.  Every few nights, I'll flick
on the outdoor light just to check in, and say
'hello' to my gentle friend...and 'thank you'.