It’s tarantula mating season on the Colorado plains, when male spiders scurry out of their burrows in search of a mate. Hundreds of arachnophiles flock to the small town of La Junta each year to watch them emerge in droves. Scientists, spider enthusiasts and curious Colorado families piled into buses just before dusk last weekend as tarantulas began to roam. Back in town, festivalgoers flaunted their tarantula-like traits in a hairy leg contest and paraded around in vintage cars with giant spiders on the hoods. For many, it was an opportunity to celebrate spiders with others who share their fascination rather than fear.
