The itsy bitsy spider crawled down a Ring cam — and gave one Central Texas resident a late-night fright.
Steiner Ranch resident Jamie York Pillans said she doesn’t usually check her Ring camera in the morning, but on June 7, she felt compelled to open the app and see what had happened overnight.
That’s when she spotted a spooky event: a tarantula crawling right over her doorbell camera.
It’s not uncommon for Ring cameras to catch unexpected visitors.
From snakes slithering up walls and neighborhood cats ringing doorbells to bears breaking into vehicles, Ring cameras capture a surprising array of wildlife and quirky moments.
Tarantulas, like the one spotted by Pillans, are especially active right now as the mating season kicks off. Male tarantulas begin wandering in search of mates during early summer, making encounters more frequent, and will be especially active through July.
Add in recent heavy rains and flooding across Central Texas, and it’s no surprise these large spiders are out and about more than usual.
Are tarantulas dangerous?
Tarantulas are not venomous to humans, but they can bite, and their hairs may cause skin irritation or rashes. If you encounter a tarantula, it’s best to observe it from a distance and avoid handling it, according to the online Field Guide to Common Texas Insects.
Where do tarantulas live?
Tarantulas are relatively common throughout Texas. They typically shelter in burrows, natural cavities under logs or stones, spaces beneath loose tree bark and even abandoned rodent holes.
This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Tarantula creeps across Ring camera of Texas home amid mating season