SEDONA, Ariz. — It's not something you want to find when you reach into the cup at the golf course to retrieve the ball. It's fluffy... and it may be widely considered as "friendly"... but most people usually want to stay as far away as possible. Tarantulas.
A tarantula was found hiding in a cup at Seven Canyons Golf Club in Sedona.
"Welcome to tarantula season in northern Arizona. Better check the cup before reaching in to grab your ball," the club's assistant superintendent Emily Casey said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Casey went on to say that they expect hundreds of them to be on the property in the coming weeks.
While tarantulas are venomous, their venom is typically mild and only causes pain at the site of the bite. The bite can be painful and the pain can last hours, according to the National Capital Poison Center.
"Before biting, however, a tarantula will often adopt a 'threat pose' with its front legs lifted into the air. This is your warning to leave the tarantula alone," the center said.
Tarantulas also can release a cloud of hairs that can stick to your skin or irritate your eyes, the center said, which can cause damage.
For more information on tarantulas, click here.
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