Sorry Diane, but all spiders are poisonous. Though the tarantula is probably as scared of you as you are of it.

Ok - are any of them poisonous enough to cause death....

I'm pretty sure most tarantulas aren't lethally poisonous, they are known as one of the largest spider species (if not the largest) but are not known for being the most venomous. Still, I wouldn't want to be bitten by one.

http://www.umm.edu/childsafety/outdoor_safety/ency/tarantula%20spider/tarantula.htm

I hope my wife doesn't see this thread. She's arachnophobic.

Your wife isn't the only one. Where are you likely to run into these things in the Islands. Please don't say on the beach!

Hello Diane, Tom and Lozzie,

From the things I read (we are updating the fauna section of the site so I was reading a bit on insects) they do not bite unless provoked. They are venomous insects but not generally dangerous to humans. Most things I read said there have been no recorded deaths caused by tarantula bites although it was indicated that some species in Australia and South America are more harmful to humans then species in other areas.

As for encountering them while in the USVI. I have seen them once indoors recently; I think it came through an open window and somtimes they are seen in the yard (dirt). We used to go looking for them when I was a kid, would stick things in their burrows and try and get them to come out, we weren't successful very often. Lozzie - I think I read that they don't like sand by itself and in general they live in soil and rocky terrain. So they aren't a beach buddy.

There is a medical article out lining the effects of a bite at

http://www.emedicine.com/emerg/topic550.htm

The fauna section is at https://www.vinow.com/general_usvi/flora_fauna/

--Islander

I have never seen one.......not on STT or anywhere else.

You probably need to be more worried about huge iguanas dropping out of the trees while you are on the beach......happens a lot.

Or coconuts... 😉

We were at a north shore beach on StJ one morning during our visit a couple of weeks ago... As is my standard procedure, I slather up with SPF30 or 45, spend about 2 1/2 minutes in the sun, then try to get some shade and sit back to read and enjoy the surroundings (I was saving my sun time for the afternoon at the pool at the villa... ahhhh... great, relaxing, trip!). About 10 minutes after settling in to my chair on the tree line a coconut dropped a few feet to my right. The thunk told me I was VERY glad I was not sitting there to absorb the shot! Have not usually paid attention to exactly where I place my chair in the past, but will in the future!

irbgolfin

The geckos are great fun to have fallen on you. Just about ready to doze of in the shade... the sound of the waves at my feet.....then this green thing falls in my hair! Good thing the bathing suit top was tied, otherwise everyone would have gotten a show since I jumped up and started wildly brushing off my bod, head, etc.

You guys are making me laugh!

I as at Secret Harbout in 2002 and was playing with my then 5 yr old in the shallow water.....you all know how quiet SH can be! All of a sudden I turned to face the shore and saw this HUGE iguanna running dow nthe beach straight for us!!! I as just frozen and said "OH SH&T"......LOL......it came right into the water and ran across the TOP of the water and out onto the concerete peninsula thingy that was next to us. I guess something spooked it. It was literally running on top of the water about 1 foot away from us.

Another time I as on Coki beach. It was the afternoon and the beach was kind of crowded with tourists. There was a local guy...kind of a playboy type trying to pick up the women....was flexing his muscles and making friends with all of single female tourists..... At one point he offered to guide some of the women ( who were all very enthralled by him.....he was very handsome) on a snorkeling tour. One woman let him use an extra pair of her fins. So, out they all went...he' so proudly leading everyone. I was watching this al lfrom my palce on the sand. Suddnely, after they get out to the deep water and snorkel for a few minutes....you hear him yell "MAN EATAH" (man eater)and he literally leaps out of the fins and swims then runs to shore, leaving the women behind. Everyone on the beach stands and goes to shore and everyone in the water hurries out in a panick....and then we see this little baby shark...about 1.5 feet long...it swims all the way into the very shallow water and the guy is still yelling "man eatah! man eatah" (he was serious!) and everyone on the beach rolls in laughter!

Hahahaha - some great stories here. No worries about the tarantulas anymore - spiders just creep me out (well at least big ones) and I was just trying to find out if they were extermely common and all over the place. Glad to hear that they really aren't. Reptiles don't bother me at all - I own a corn snake and 2 bearded dragons and I'm really excited to take some pictures of the iguanas and geckos and anoles on the island. Can't wait!!!! Seven weeks and counting.....