Tarantula Prevalence Expert
 

It is interesting to me that I believe tarantulas are on all the Caribbean islands, though its never discussed.SOme people are often shocked when they hear of the news.The only official website that tells you is Antigua...I believe all the islands should list their inhabitants in detail..I myself am a real arachnophobe, and dont want to be where they are all over...I have read so many reports of people running into them, even in a five star hotel room on St. Lucia.This is crazy to me..Does anyone have any thoughts about which Caribbean islands have the most? I believe they are Cuba, DR, Antigua, Tobago, Trinidad, and Martinique

The local species in Martinique called "matoutou-falaise" is not a tarentula type, but a "trap-door spider" (so says my dictionnary... The correct name in French being "mygale")

People occasionally see them in the north of the island, mostly in the rain forest areas.

I have never seen any in the hotels in the south of Martinique, and I am also a real arachnophobe....

Unfortunately, there are many invasive species of spiders that come to the Caribbean, including tarantulas and even black widow spiders. They get into islands by commerce and exotic pet people. Think of the shipments of grass, food, other items that new resort developments throughout the Caribbean need? The U.S. has huge tarantulas throughout the SW, and many find themselves inadvertantly packed in large crates which are shipped to the Caribbean. Also, people in the Caribbean actually buy tarantulas as pets, then let them go when they're tired of them. It doesn't bother me that tarantulas are in the Caribbean, for they're not dangerous to humans. I laugh at the old James Bond movie, where Sean Connery is in a bed somewhere in the Bahamas, and a tarantula crawls across his white bed sheets...remember that one, where he ends up clobbering it with his shoe about a dozen times? I wonder if that was released in the wilds there? Years ago, I helped saved the Bahama Parrot on Abaco Island in the Bahamas and ended up sleeping on the ground at night in southern Abaco Island. Large spiders were seen frequently, including in the sleeping bag when I woke up. We just coaxed them off with a newspaper. They aren't dangerous or aggressive. And, tarantulas are neat spiders and harmless. I would worry about imported non-native spiders like the black widow instead. Robert

Oh Robert, you would seriously be my hero if you would chase away any spider near me. Although you'd have to remove me from the ceiling first so I could thank you.

Thank you..Well the funny thing is Im more afraid of their look, then their bite..I d rather be confronted with a black widow, then a harmless tarantula..Its an awful fear, and a very bad one..I actually was going to honeymoon in Antigua until I read many posts of people seeing them outside.Something I have to get over,but can't..I really can't even watch movies when tarantulas are in them..Do you have any experience with them in Turks and Caicos? I read your original post the other day about the Bahamas..I was surprised, because people never post that they have seen any there..And I was actually at one point thinking of staying at Kamalame Cay, where the hut rooms are on the beach ...Ha ha..Oh well

I would be seriously surprised if there were any islands in the Caribbean where they're *not* found. I've seen those large, tarantula-like spiders in Antigua, Nevis, and Jamaica. I was told each time by locals that they are actually the large wolf spider and not a tarantula, but to my eyes they looked the same. FYI, they were all outdoors, not in our hotel room. though on Nevis the one we saw was on our balcony.

By all means, choose another island if just the thought of others' sightings would ruin your vacation. but you should also be prepared that any island, be it in the Caribbean or elsewhere, will be full of various creepy-crawlies. As long as you're okay with lizards and bugs, chances are good that you can avoid seeing large spiders.

I believe PR is missing any type of poisonous creature, & is actually one of the few places on earth that can make such a claim.

Guadeloupe is also free of any poisonous insect or reptile. So far I only saw very tiny spiders (and harmless) !!!

tarantulas are not poisonous. and they are found in all the Caribbean islands!

For those arachnophobics, bless the many lizards crawling around the Caribbean. One researcher studying spiders on Great Abaco Island id'd over 16 different species of spiders. But, the lizards do keep their populations in check. I like those curly tails more and more. Also, we spent much time in the vast coppice forest south of Marsh Harbor, Abaco. I never saw wolf or a tarantula spider in town. If any one ever flew into Abaco from the southern part of the island, they know how vast the coppice forests are. Robert

Barbara, how do you know they are all over the caribbean? Just curious....Also, Puerto Rico does have them, for the person who said they dont..Also, the wolf spider is not a tarantual, but to me, the same as one..Very large..In Nevis the tarantula species in the donkey spider, and antiqua the horse spider..Not sure what kind of tarantula is in bahamas...Ph well, thanks to all, wish i could find a good list of how prevalent they are on each island and the species, but cant seem to find anything...

sorry for all my typos!

ej crowe, Where did you see the wolf spider in Jamaica?? Was it on hotel grounds??

Spider seen in Jamaica was not on hotel grounds. We stayed at a B&B in Treasure Beach and saw one on a walk one day. It was not out in the open, but nearly hidden with greenery & shrubbery. If we hadn't paused on our walk right where we were, we would never have seen it.

If I had your fear, I would pick a resort on a more arid island. Maybe Aruba, maybe Anguilla, maybe Provo.

Bermuda
I live in the Caribbean and have traveled to most of the islands. As far as I know, they are all over the Caribbean. I work with our local zoo and we have soem local tarantulas on display.

There are hundreds of tarantula species found in most of the world's tropical, subtropical, and arid regions.

Barbara and EJ Crowe, Thanks! Barbara , in your experience are there any islands that you would be least likely to see them on hotel grounds? In Aruba, it seemed so built up where we were, and we never saw any..Also, in Jamaica we never saw any..But Ive read many reviews of people seeing them everywhere like in DR, Cuba, St Lucia, and Antigua, and of course Brazil, Costa Rica, and Mexico, and AZ...Antigua's main website shows pictures, and informs travelers right away..Other islands, show no evidence at all when I do some research..Many people are also very surprised when they here they are around..Oh well, I wish I could get over my fear...My fear is that they will end up on hotel grounds, and that would be devastating to me...They are my only fear, unfortunately

I have not seen any in St. Kitts, Nevis, or Cuba. I think the likelihood of your seeing them around your hotel,would depend on how aggressive the hotel is about spraying for "pests." And that is a whole other subject.

CW

CW, I totally agree..I would think if Im at a five star resort, that would be a very high concern on their list..My mom went to Antigua, (and her fear is worse then mine, if thats possible)and had no problems..Then again we were both uninformed at that time of their high prevalence there..Oh well, I guess I have to try and get over this because there are so many other islands I still want to go to , and so many great resorts!

Bermuda:

I think your instincts are right. Just go. It'll be alright. Don't let it keep you away from where you want to go.

That's the price we pay for staying in warm tropical places!

CW

In reference to the "no poisionous creatures in PR", we met a couple who have a home in Esperanza, Vieques and the mom was telling me about a tarantula that was on their back patio.

Now, there is another creature that I wonder about. The Puerto Rican Boaconstrictor. I thought they were endangered. Then a friend who went to the rainforest while on a cruise stop in San Juan, said they are in the trees there.
Okay, I do not need to go to the rainforest!!
Then, I read some months ago, in the Vieques local paper, (they have a section where they put unusual animals that have been spotted, manatees, dolphins, etc)
someone spotted a PR boa on the East end of the island.(the east end is closed to the public, probably forever, due to leftover ordinance(sp) from the Navy.
In fact, I am off to google them now...

I laughed when I read this thread because I have been afraid of insects since I was a toddler. It all started with a Palmetto bug or very large cochroach sat on my tiny foot, covering half of it. I can see the image clearly to this day. Then all insects became scary and loathsome to me, including spiders. The funny thing is, in my experience, love does conquer fear. My family can't get over how I actually invested in a home in the Caribbean and LOVE being there. I've seen many (they call them ground spiders here) and they're usually scampering away from me asap, and yes, I've seen many Palmetto bugs and other insects in the islands, but I love the Caribbean so much... if it has bugs, so be it. Sort of like when you get married to some guy who is definitely not perfect... ya love him, bugs and all. You do realize spiders exist just about everywhere in the world. They are funny-looking, but most are quite harmless. IMO, I'd see an expert about addressing your fear. There's an excellent chance you can overcome it. I'm proof. Also, your fear may be exagerating the idea of "prevalence." I didn't see a tarantula until maybe my fifth or sixth trip. One trip report I read described how one little tarantula was ogled by a huge crowd of people. (You don't get that kind of attention if you're a common sight.)You may have read some reports from tourists who have seen one, but there are millions and millions of tourists every year who never come across one. That being said, some islands may have more than others, such as Antigua, but in the USVI's, there're not "allover" the place.

Tuxedo, Thanks for your input! Your right, love does conquer fear, and Im sure my chances of running into one are one in a million...and if I do , will it kill me? Of course not..But I always say they may have to take me away in a straight jacket...I guess I just fear waking up in the middle of the night with one on me..Im trying to view more pictures of them, but I stil get the chills..Im glad to have read your story because it gives me hope..There are so many places I want to travel, but always thinking about the tarantulas!

I don't recall any reports of any human ever dying from a tarantula bite. We ran across many ground and wolf spiders, and a few tarantulas in the southern Abaco Island (Bahama) coppice forests late at night while cat hunting, while trying to save the endangered Abaco Parrot. They weren't aggressive and it took a lot to provoke them. I heard it's like getting bit by a wasp or bee. No worries! There here to stay, so don't fret. Females lay up to several thousand eggs. Robert

During our stay in Vieques PR I got to see my first tarantula - on our front deck. I was creeped out a little at first but then fascinated with it. Sadly, it must have gotten poisoned by the pesticides they apply to keep the bugs away and it was dying. We asked our innkeeper to leave it alone but the poor thing died (or so she told us). Then the following week in Culebra PR, we had a very healthy active one in our driveway at night. That one moved much faster and it was interesting to watch it out hunting at night for food. As long as they're not in my room, I'm fine with them. But there are sure plenty of them on Puerto Rico!

Thats what concerns me, running into one on the hotel grounds, or esp. a patio or deck...I think that would bother me enough that I might not be able to sleep peacefully...Oh well, I guess I ll have to get over it eventually