Florida Tarantulas

Acro

Aziz! Light!
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Mar 1, 2006
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I will be heading down to Miami this Thanksgiving and I would like to find some of the Tarantulas that have become established. I was wondering if there is any "hard" info or first hand accounts of (A) what tarantula species have established themselves in FL and (B) where the locations are. I saw several threads about Ts in FL here, but no sources or first hand accounts seemed to show up.
Thanks so much for any info!
 

Acro

Aziz! Light!
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Yes, that is one of the posts that inspired this one actually! But yeah, I sent him a message so hopefully he will post up here soon!
 

xhexdx

ArachnoGod
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All I am willing to say is that there are Brachypelma vagans in Florida, which you already knew.

There are several threads on this forum that detail why revealing population locations isn't recommended. Too many people collecting them = decreased wild populations.

People have mixed feelings as to whether these guys should be collected in large quantities or not. Personally, I don't see a problem with occasional collecting, but the last time I was there I found evidence of larger quantities being collected.

So again, all I can confirm for you is that B. vagans are established in Florida. I have heard of A. avicularia as well but have never looked for or found any.

--Joe
 

Jmugleston

Arachnoprince
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look around orange groves and arrogation ditches
I'm not sure if this was meant to be tongue in cheek or not, but I laughed when I saw it....When talking about Florida, doesn't limiting the search to orange groves and irrigation ditches narrow it down as much as the statement that they exist in Florida? I'm trying to think where in Florida I didn't see either orange groves or irrigation ditches.
 

presurcukr

Arachnolord
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most are on privet property and you will be run off if not arrested and Miami is way to far south for you to find them (yes i have seen them myself but was on the wrong side of the canal to get a close look)
 

Xian

Arachnobaron
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I'm not sure if this was meant to be tongue in cheek or not, but I laughed when I saw it....When talking about Florida, doesn't limiting the search to orange groves and irrigation ditches narrow it down as much as the statement that they exist in Florida? I'm trying to think where in Florida I didn't see either orange groves or irrigation ditches.
Maybe it was at Disney!!!! lol
 

presurcukr

Arachnolord
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most of us that know where they are will not tell the location(for the protection of the T's)
 

Xian

Arachnobaron
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all jokes aside for a minute, Why would you want to protect an invasive species?
 

joshuai

Arachnoangel
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there was a show on animal planet about the vegans in florida im sure if you look it upo it gives the name of the orange farmer. look his name up and you got a good place to start.
 

BiologicalJewels

Arachnoknight
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Dec 16, 2008
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Xian
all jokes aside for a minute, Why would you want to protect an invasive species?


This is probably because these bloodlines are as untainted as can get, Florida vagans AFAIK tend to be really red in the abdomen area, get large and have been isolated from breeding with other populations.
 

kbekker

Arachnoknight
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What does "untainted" mean? Assuming they are the result of just a few animals being introduced, reduction in genetic diversity from the wild population would be a result.
 

Satellite Rob

Arachnoangel
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Jun 2, 2008
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You don't want to drive 2 hours to Martin county and not find any Vagans.Years
ago nobody would bother you.But now if you go to right place.You will find
out it's the wrong place.Because if your cought there you can end up being
arrested for tresspassing and spending the day in jail.In miami just south of
the miami airport there 2 different populations of Avic Avic's.It's been 10
years since i've been there.So I can't give you a exact location.But it pretty
common knowledge and if you ask anybody thay can probably help you out.
There not in the greatest neighborhods so be careful.Also be ready to climb.
 

jebbewocky

Arachnoangel
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By untainted, they mean that many of the hobby B.vagans are suspected to be hybrids. The wild Florida ones are supposedly purer from that standpoint.

And the B.vagans are debatebly not invasive, just not local. From what I've researched (not much I will admit), they have actually helped the ecosystem.
 
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xhexdx

ArachnoGod
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They are in a very small area in Florida...hardly affecting its ecosystem.

In my opinion, anyway.
 
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