Yes, tarantulas are spiders. In the southwest desert, they are quite large for spiders, up to 3-4 inches and hairy. They belong to a group of arachnids called Theraphosidae. Males can live 12 years. Females can live up to 20 years, if they are not run over by cars. Tarantulas make their home mostly in burrows in the desert and surround the entrance with a silk web, or “Welcome Mat” . Although Tarantulas are found just about everywhere in the world, in the desert the female is lighter, browner than the male, whose hairs are more black.
Tarantulas can bite, but more likely to “throw” hair at you from their abdomen, using their back legs to do so. In general, if handled properly, tarantulas pose no threat to humans, and bites or hairs are a minor irritation unless in ones eyes or lungs.