Male tarantulas are on the hunt for a mate and California hikers have been warned.
The large, hairy, male arachnids weave a web above a female's burrow during September and October throughout the Santa Monica Mountains, according to The Los Angeles Times.
Male tarantulas have been known to travel up to four miles in search of a mate.
While they have fangs and carry poison, tarantulas are not considered a serious threat to humans.
Female tarantulas can live for up to 25 years. The average lifespan of the male is only seven or eight years, so their chances to spread their genes is limited.
To mate, the male approaches the female's burrow and taps on the web. If the female is interested she will come out for his sperm, which he deposits on a web that she then receives and uses to fertilize her eggs. Up to 1,000 eggs could hatch.
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