No confirmed photo of Tarantulas
Tarantulas
Aphonopelma spp.
- Venom
- No official source we use states whether this animal is venomous. That does not mean it is harmless: do not handle it.
Are there tarantulas in Texas?
Last checked November 3, 2026 against official sources.
Yes.
AgriLife Extension: most Texas tarantulas are in the genus Aphonopelma.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service: “Tarantulas are members of the family Theraphosidae and most species in Texas are in the genus Aphonopelma.” Source
More official answers for Texas
Are there black widows and brown recluses in Texas?
Yes. DSHS: both occur indoors and outdoors throughout the state. Texas Department of State Health Services
On Texas's official list
All spiders in the state: Texas spiders.
Where tarantulas live in the US
- Native or listed
- Nonnative or not established
- No official record in our data
- 1–9
- 10–99
- 100–999
- 1,000+
When spiders are seen in Texas
What official sources advise
- Migrating male tarantulas are seen for a few weeks in early summer. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service
Other questions about Texas
Sources
- Spiders (E-408 6/06), Jackman, Brown, Engler & Merchant. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. 6/06; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (2)
“Tarantulas are members of the family Theraphosidae and most species in Texas are in the genus Aphonopelma.”
“Migrating male tarantulas are often seen for a few weeks in early summer.”
- Spiders (Venom: Animal Bites, Venomous Bites). Texas Department of State Health Services. undated page; checked November 3, 2026.
Quoted passages (1)
“Texas has two venomous species of spiders, the black widow (Latrodectus mactans) and the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa). Both of these species of spiders can be found indoors and outdoors throughout the State.”
- GBIF.org occurrence records, human observations licensed CC0 1.0 or CC BY 4.0 only, accessed November 3, 2026. The datasets behind these counts are listed on our Sources page.