We live in a rather urban environment, mostly isolated from the wonders of nature (unless you are in one of our area’s fantastic forest preservers!).

So, here are three separate stories to remind us how interesting and terrifying the natural world around us can be!

Tarantulas Are Crawling Across Colorado

Careful where you step in Colorado – researchers say thousands of tarantulas are currently crawling their way across the state. A massive annual migration of the spiders is expected to begin very soon, as thousands of ‘Oklahoma Brown’ tarantulas make their way across the state looking for mates. Tarantulas are mostly harmless to humans, but their bites can cause allergic reactions to some.  The migration will continue into mid-October.

Spider Vs Bat – Guess Which Wins

If you’ve ever wondered who’d win in a fight between Spider-Man and Batman, an incident in Texas (Yes, TEXAS! Not Australia!) suggests the hero with arachnid powers would have the upper hand.
Poteet resident Annette Guajardo was leaving for work Wednesday when she noticed a bat trapped in a garden spider’s web. Assuming the flying rodent would soon extract itself from the sticky situation, she went on her way. But when Guajardo got home, the bat was still there — half-eaten and dead.
Entomologist Matt Bertone says while garden spiders have been known to eat larger insects and a few small animals, bats aren’t usually on their menu.

Venomous Snake on the Loose at Bronx Zoo

Workers at the Bronx Zoo in New York made a startling discovery on Wednesday — the enclosure that normally houses the venomous mangrove snake was empty. As of Thursday, the three-foot-long, black and yellow snake remained on the loose, slithering around the zoo somewhere. However, zoo officials are telling visitors there’s nothing to worry about — the snake is only “mildly” venomous, and it’s a little shy around people. Nevertheless, they’re asking visitors to let them know if they see it anywhere.