Tarantula

The Tarantula is a rare insect in the and it is worth 8,000 Bells. They are found on the ground between 7pm and 4am, between the months of June and August. It is not the same as the spider, which is harmless and has different traits. They can be difficult to catch, like the scorpion and bee, as well as harmful - however, they do not attack the player unless he/she is carrying a net.

Catching the Tarantula


The tarantula is harmful and should be avoided unless the player is trying to catch it. It is suggested that the player doesn't equip the net during the hours the tarantula is available, to avoid being "bit" or "poisoned". It can jump over holes dug in the ground using the shovel, as well as jump off cliffs and jump up onto the lower part of ramps joining the upper section of town to the lower part (City Folk).

Upon approaching the tarantula, the player should pull out their net and catch it like any other insect - though missing it the first time will prove fatal. An easy place to catch the tarantula is just on the ramp of a slope in City Folk, just where it cannot jump up but where the net can also hit the ground. This makes the tarantula run into the wall, and keeps it steady for the player to catch. In Wild World, the tarantula is more noticeable by the sound it makes - scratching on the ground. In City Folk, it makes a lot less noise as in previous installments. It is much harder to catch in Wild World than in City Folk due to the lack of slopes.

Catching the Tarantula (Alternate Version)
There is another way to catch it. Pick an acre where a tarantula resides, and walk as slowly as possible around it with your net equipped. Make sure the acre has a building so that you can run into it - not to avoid a tarantula, but to reset bug locations. In other words, it might spawn a tarantula. When you see the tarantula, do not just run up to it; walk as slowly as possible towards it. It is easier to catch it if the bug comes to a complete halt. It doesn't matter if you are facing its back, front, or whatnot. When your position seems right, swing your net! This takes a little luck, but this process definitely works. One can also approach it from behind AS SLOWLY AS POSSIBLE to avoid having it notice your presence, and then swing your net when you are positioned above it correctly.

Approaching the tarantula on the lower tier of the town near the sea (City Folk) will make it walk away from the player, which may direct it to water where it will fall in and disappear.

Effects of a Tarantula Bite
When the tarantula bites a player, a distinct CHOMP can be heard, similar to the New Pork's biting noise in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, followed by the player spinning around, stars spinning around their head, and falling to the floor. Once bitten, the screen turns black and the player re-appears, collapsed, outside their house. Nothing in your pockets will be lost. However a distinct but hard to detect effect will be made in the game. Some users have called this "brain damage", because the character has more difficulty catching fish and bugs, is charged slightly higher prices by Nook and is less likely to become friends with the villagers. The "brain damage" might reference Asperger's Syndrome , a mild cousin syndrome of Autism (characterized by difficulty in recognizing social cues).

The tarantula becomes rarer once your town improves its town environment. It also only spawns in certain areas of your town, much like the scorpion.

Donating to the Museum
As with all insects in the, the tarantula can be donated to the Museum followed by a small, agitated talk by Blathers, the curator.

In Wild World
Hoo my! It's simply amazing that you were able to catch one of these monsters... Not only is it poisonous, it's as hairy as can be... Blech! Hairy and toxic... Is there any combination more vile?"''

They are slightly rarer than scorpions. The tarantula can be found in the second room of the bug exhibit, in the area where the dung beetle and pill bug are displayed.

In City Folk
"Hoo, such foul fuzziness! And have you seen how fast they move? It's enough to make an owl faint. They're quite docile beasts, and it's documented that they rarely attack people... But when I look at them up close like this, I start to wonder if the experts might be wrong, eh wot?!"


 * It can be found in the first enclosure on the middle terrace, which holds the scorpion, centipede, flea, and fly, to name a few.

The scorpion and tarantula can be seen battling with each other when both have been donated. The scorpion can be seen shaking its stinger at the tarantula, producing a rattling noise. The tarantula can be heard making a hissing-type noise, which might be associated with the insect's defense mechanism of scratching hairs at enemies. They will circle each other, and eventually both jump into the air and collide, then begin their battle again. Or, if the player hasn't donated the scorpion, the tarantula will constantly watch the player.

Encyclopedia Information
When the player has caught the tarantula, they can find information about the insect in the bug menu. Below is the information regarding the tarantula:

Wild World

 * Size: 65 mm.
 * Season: Summer.
 * Time: Night.
 * Their poison isn't potent enough to be lethal, but their belly hair causes itchiness.

City Folk

 * Size: TBA
 * Season: Summer
 * Time: Night
 * The belly hairs these use to fire poison cause more itchiness than the poison itself.

Further Information
It is unknown what type of tarantula appears in the Animal Crossing games. There are different types of tarantula - ground hunters, tree hunters, as well as poisonous and nonpoisonous ones. Although a tarantula has eyes, its keenest sense is touch. It feels vibrations in the ground, and determines the location of its prey through them. They are cold-blooded, but under a thermal image the abdomen appears the brighter than the rest of its body (indicating warmth). The species from the U.S. is Harmless. The tarantula from Wild World looks like the Red-kneed Tarantula from Mexico.