4.3M views · 16K shares | As a tarantula grows, its exoskeleton ruptures—and it sheds its skin. | National Geographic | Facebook

Fall is tarantula migration time at Mesa Verde! Common places to see them include the Spruce Tree House Overlook and the trail to Long House, but they may turn up anywhere. Starting around late September or early October, male tarantulas wander through the landscape looking for a mate, searching for females in their burrows. Romance is a risky business for the males. They may wander for miles searching for a willing female, only to die from cannibalism or sheer exhaustion. Another hazard are tar