8-Legged Freaks are About to Take Over Parts of Missouri

What is your greatest fear? For me, spiders are near the top of the list and that's why this time of year in Missouri is always nerve-racking. That's because the 8-legged freaks are about to come out of their holes and take over parts of the state.

There's something I don't understand. The state of Missouri is home to the Texas Brown Tarantula. Since they're named after Texas, they should be required to stay there. It should be a law.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has all kinds of information about this big hairy beast and there's one sentence that is the most concerning for those of us who dread every type of spider:

"In late summer and fall, Missourians in the southern part of the state may see these large arachnids crossing roads."

Guess what? That's NOW. (*Shudder*)

Pro Tip: as those guys who actually go looking for these spiders mention, when you see a tarantula reared up on their back legs, they're wanting to bite.

There's some good news for people like me that live in the northern half of Missouri as the Department of Conservation says:

"The Missouri River apparently acts as a barrier to the spider's movement into northern Missouri."

Oh please, oh please Missouri River never dry up!