Meet a slender tarantula lookin’ for love in the Sierra foothills

Mating season for tarantulas in the central San Joaquin Valley typically runs from September to October, but they still can be seen in the foothills.

Fresno Bee photographer John Walker came across this big and rather gangly spider Tuesday afternoon south of Ahwahnee in Madera County.

It’s common to run across these hairy arachnids in the foothills; there’s a reason why Coarsegold hosted its 19th Tarantula Festival in late October.

So Walker’s new friend was lookin’ for love in all the right places.

This story was originally published November 9, 2017 at 11:19 AM with the headline "Meet a slender tarantula lookin’ for love in the Sierra foothills."